'Time has come' for a pandemic treaty - WHO's Tedros

The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) called on Monday for launching negotiations this year on an international treaty to boost pandemic preparedness, as part of sweeping reforms envisioned by member states.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, told its annual ministerial assembly that the UN agency faced a "serious challenge" to maintain its Covid-19 response at the current level and required sustainable and flexible funding.