(Ottawa) Federal Health Minister Jean-Yves Duclos said Canada supports the development of a new global convention on pandemic preparedness and response to be discussed at a special meeting from the World Health Assembly, Monday.
This is only the second time in its history that the group has held such an emergency summit.
If member countries agree, the assembly will get to work on developing what will essentially serve as an international treaty on pandemic preparedness.
The idea is to prevent another global crisis like the one posed by COVID-19 and its new, more transmissible variants.
Duclos, who would act as the federal government’s chief delegate, says the convention would help countries work together and make it easier for Canada to share its expertise on the world stage.
The World Health Organization’s working group on the matter says governments should seek to develop the convention in tandem with efforts to strengthen existing International Health Regulations.