THE World Health Organisation (WHO) announced on Saturday that member countries had approved new steps to improve global preparedness for and response to pandemics like Covid-19 and mpox.

Countries agreed by consensus to amend the International Health Regulations (IHR), which were last changed in 2005, such as by defining the term “pandemic emergency” and helping developing countries to gain better access to financing and medical products, the WHO said.

The move came as the United Nations agency ended its six-day World Health Assembly, after plans to adopt a more sweeping pandemic treaty at the meeting were shelved.