AHF Calls for EU Support on Fair Vaccine Access

The AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AHF) has called on the European Union (EU) to support equitable access to vaccines during ongoing negotiations for a global pandemic agreement. Speaking in Abuja on Tuesday, AHF Country Director Echei Ijezi warned that the current negotiations, which aim to finalize a global health framework by March 2026, are at risk of stalling.

He emphasized that the agreement, set to be adopted in May 2025, cannot be ratified until the pathogen access and benefit-sharing annex is finalized. Ijezi highlighted that developing countries will not support the framework without binding provisions to ensure fair access to vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments.

He advocated for mandatory benefit-sharing measures, including technology transfer and non-exclusive licensing. Martin Egbanubi, Secretary of the Nigerian Union of Allied Health Workers, noted that the COVID-19 pandemic exposed significant gaps in Nigeria's health system, including infrastructure and workforce shortages, urging increased investment in local vaccine production and research.