THE EDITOR, Madam:

The Jamaica Coalition for a Healthy Society (JCHS) welcomes the news that a proposed World Health Organization (WHO) Pandemic Agreement has been stalled and possibly may even be shelved. Since 2022, the JCHS has raised with Prime Minister Andrew Holness and Minister of Health Dr Christopher Tufton our concerns with various clauses in the instrument. We asked them to inform the nation of the government’s position on the proposed international accord. An aligned document, the International Health Regulations, IHR (2005) also poses similar threats and is expected to be interpreted as compatible and mutually reinforcing with the Pandemic Agreement.

To date, we have received no reply from our elected officials.

Among our concerns with the instruments is language that would result in Jamaica ceding its sovereignty in the management of future pandemics to an unelected and foreign body, the WHO. The WHO would be authorised to determine the existence of a public health emergency without the agreement of the national authority. Additionally, the instruments fail to safeguard citizen’s fundamental freedoms.

The WHO did not prove itself to be trustworthy in the COVID-19 pandemic. In fact, there is no evidence that countries that followed the WHO’s advice did better than those that did not. Further, the inordinate influence on policymaking at the WHO that major financial contributors to the WHO appear to have is not hidden. One clear influencer is the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

The JCHS encourages concerned citizens to seek information from the government as to the position taken in our name at the WHO. We urge the Government of Jamaica to consult the voting public prior to signing any such agreement.

DR WAYNE WEST

Chairman

Jamaica Coalition for a

Healthy Society