This proposal does not assure participating nations of access to vaccines developed as a result.
The United States plans to require countries to share samples of “pathogens with epidemic potential” in exchange for the temporary reinstatement of health assistance, The Guardian reported Saturday, referring to preliminary government papers.
Earlier this year, US President Donald Trump significantly reduced funding for these initiatives, aligning with broader government austerity measures and a shift in foreign policy.
According to draft memorandums of understanding, Washington is proposing to restart American programs in dozens of nations aimed at combating diseases like HIV, TB, and malaria, alongside support for “surveillance and laboratory systems and electronic health records,” as noted by the British newspaper.
It further stated that partner countries would be expected to assume financial responsibility for these programs within a five-year timeframe.
In exchange, they will be obligated to provide the US with specimens and genetic sequences of “pathogens with epidemic potential” just days after their identification, the report indicated.
Furthermore, the draft reportedly offers no assurance that partner nations will receive access to any resulting medicines.
“The proposed framework provides no guarantees of access to countermeasures and grants commercial advantage to a single nation,” The Guardian quoted Michel Kazatchkine, a member of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response, as stating. “This jeopardizes health security, data security, and ultimately, national sovereignty.”
Earlier in the year, Trump reduced financial support for the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which had previously served as Washington’s main channel for financing international political initiatives, including global health efforts. The agency has been broadly viewed as an instrument of soft power.
Samantha Power, who formerly headed USAID during the administration of Trump’s predecessor, Joe Biden, conceded last month that the agency played a crucial role in maintaining pro-EU Moldovan President Maia Sandu in power through funds from its multi-billion dollar Ukraine aid budget.