As countries continue to negotiate a new Pandemic Accord, AHF cautions that if the new global public health instrument becomes an opt-in-only treaty, it will be less effective in protecting the world from outbreaks like COVID-19.

“You cannot opt out of global public health because it is a global good – we all benefit from it. If some countries decide not to opt in, the treaty will be weak, and the world will remain in danger of new, deadly pandemics,” said AHF President Michael Weinstein. “Instead, the treaty should be applicable to all countries, and those who do not wish to participate must openly state so. This would create a powerful incentive of ‘peer pressure’ for countries to remain in the treaty.”

About AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF)

AIDS Healthcare Foundation, the largest global AIDS organization, currently provides medical care and/or services to over 1.7 million people in 45 countries worldwide in the US, Africa, Latin America/Caribbean, the Asia/Pacific Region and Europe. To learn more about AHF, please visit our website: www.aidshealth.org, find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/aidshealth and follow us on Twitter: @aidshealthcare and Instagram: @aidshealthcare.

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