Officials at the World Health Organization (WHO) are negotiating new rules for dealing with pandemics. The U.N. health agency's 194 member countries have set a target date of May 2024 for a legal agreement. A new agreement is a top goal for WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. He called it a generational commitment that we will not go back to the old cycle of panic at the U.N. agency's yearly meeting. The agreement seeks to improve the world's defenses against new viruses. The effort follows the worldwide spread of COVID-19, which is blamed for killing nearly 7 million people. The WHO already has rules known as the International Health Regulations, passed in 2005. The rules explain countries’ responsibilities when diseases and other public health events threaten to cross borders. WHO members approved the rules after the SARS outbreak in 2002 to 2003. These rules are still considered good enough for local epidemics, like Ebola, but not for a pandemic. The rules are also being reconsidered after COVID-19. Member nations have agreed that the new agreement should have legal force like a treaty does. It would be only the second such health agreement after the 2003 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. That treaty aims to reduce smoking through taxation and rules on labeling and advertising. However, critics have voiced their opposition to the proposed treaty on social media. Opponents say approval could lead countries to give too much power to the WHO. The WHO says governments are leading the negotiations and are free to reject the agreement.
Title: How WHO Could Deal with Future Pandemics
Content: <div id='article-page'><div id='article-content' data-media-url='//news-app-staging.s3.amazonaws.com' data-base-url='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/T8.wav' data-capture-url='//staging.analytics.lingraphica.com/events/capture_news' data-article-title='How WHO Could Deal with Future Pandemics' data-article-id='6483'><script src='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/javascripts/getscripts.js'></script><link rel='stylesheet' href='//news-app-staging.herokuapp.com/stylesheets/article.css' type='text/css' /><div class='article'><p><span data-start-time='0' data-end-time='10083'>Officials at the World Health Organization (WHO) are negotiating new rules for dealing with pandemics.</span> <span data-start-time='10083' data-end-time='21021'>The U.N. health agency's 194 member countries have set a target date of May 2024 for a legal agreement.</span> <span data-start-time='21021' data-end-time='29250'>A new agreement is a top goal for WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. </span> <span data-start-time='29250' data-end-time='40063'>He called it a generational commitment that we will not go back to the old cycle of panic at the U.N. agency's yearly meeting.</span> <span data-start-time='40063' data-end-time='47208'>The agreement seeks to improve the world's defenses against new viruses. </span> <span data-start-time='47208' data-end-time='57083'>The effort follows the worldwide spread of COVID-19, which is blamed for killing nearly 7 million people.</span> <span data-start-time='57083' data-end-time='66542'>The WHO already has rules known as the International Health Regulations, passed in 2005. </span> <span data-start-time='66542' data-end-time='76729'>The rules explain countries’ responsibilities when diseases and other public health events threaten to cross borders. </span> <span data-start-time='76729' data-end-time='86188'>WHO members approved the rules after the SARS outbreak in 2002 to 2003.</span> <span data-start-time='86188' data-end-time='94979'>These rules are still considered good enough for local epidemics, like Ebola, but not for a pandemic. </span> <span data-start-time='94979' data-end-time='101104'>The rules are also being reconsidered after COVID-19.</span> <span data-start-time='101104' data-end-time='110771'>Member nations have agreed that the new agreement should have legal force like a treaty does.</span> <span data-start-time='110771' data-end-time='120604'>It would be only the second such health agreement after the 2003 Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. </span> <span data-start-time='120604' data-end-time='129771'>That treaty aims to reduce smoking through taxation and rules on labeling and advertising.</span> <span data-start-time='129771' data-end-time='138042'>However, critics have voiced their opposition to the proposed treaty on social media.</span> <span data-start-time='138042' data-end-time='147250'>Opponents say approval could lead countries to give too much power to the WHO. </span> <span data-start-time='147250' data-end-time='156792'>The WHO says governments are leading the negotiations and are free to reject the agreement.</span> </p></div><div class='control-buttons-sticky' style='display:none;'><div class='control-buttons'><button title='Back' class='back' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Play' class='play' disabled='disabled'></button><button title='Pause' class='pause' style='display:none;'></button><button title='Forward' class='forward' disabled='disabled'></button><button class='finished-reading' style='display:none;'>Done</button></div></div></div><div id='article-media'><div id='media-image'><img src='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/T8.jpeg'/></div></div><div id='question-content' style='display:none;'><div class='sentence_completion_question question-container' data-question-id=19486 data-hint-location='86188' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/these_rules_are_still_considered_good_enough_for_local_epidemics_like_ebola_but_not_for_a__blank__.wav'>These rules are still considered good enough for local epidemics, like Ebola, but not for a <span class='blank'>pandemic</span>. </div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='pandemic'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/pandemic.wav'><span>pandemic</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/pancake.wav'><span>pancake</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/landlocked.wav'><span>landlocked</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/dektop.wav'><span>dektop</span></div></div></div><div class='multiple_choice_question question-container' data-question-id=19487 data-hint-location='40063' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/what_is_the_main_purpose_of_the_new_agreement_being_negotiated_by_the_world_health_organization_who_mentioned_in_the_article.wav'>What is the main purpose of the new agreement being negotiated by the World Health Organization (WHO) mentioned in the article?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='Improving the world's defenses against new viruses'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/strengthening_entertainment_infrastructure_in_developing_nations.wav'><span>Strengthening entertainment infrastructure in developing nations</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/facilitating_international_trade_agreements.wav'><span>Facilitating international trade agreements</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/enhancing_global_cybersecurity_measures.wav'><span>Enhancing global cybersecurity measures</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/improving_the_worlds_defenses_against_new_viruses.wav'><span>Improving the world's defenses against new viruses</span></div></div></div><div class='vocabulary_question question-container' data-question-id=19488 data-hint-location='0' style='display:none;'><div class='question' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/which_of_the_following_is_a_definition_of_the_word_negotiating.wav'>Which of the following is a definition of the word negotiating?</div><div class='choices' data-correct-choice='engaging in formal discussions to reach an agreement or settlement'><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/a_type_of_athletic_event_involving_multiple_sports.wav'><span>a type of athletic event involving multiple sports</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/a_style_of_cooking_popular_in_a_specific_region.wav'><span>a style of cooking popular in a specific region</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/engaging_in_formal_discussions_to_reach_an_agreement_or_settlement.wav'><span>engaging in formal discussions to reach an agreement or settlement</span></div><div class='choice' data-sound-name='https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/the_act_of_playing_a_musical_instrument_skillfully.wav'><span>the act of playing a musical instrument skillfully</span></div></div></div><div class='question-buttons'><button class='skip-button'></button><button class='hint-button'></button><button class='speak-button'></button></div></div></div>
Sound Name: https://news-app-production.s3.amazonaws.com/articles/5877/T8.wav
Preview
