South Africa Advocates for Equitable Pathogen Sharing

Why this is here: South Africa is seeking legally binding contracts for access to pathogens, aiming to ensure benefit sharing through monetary contributions that could strengthen national and regional surveillance systems globally.

South African scientists quickly mapped the genome of the hantavirus after an outbreak connected to a cruise ship docking in the country. They shared this data with the World Health Organization and assisted with international contact tracing and patient care. This response echoes South Africa’s earlier actions with the Omicron variant and reinforces its commitment to responsible scientific citizenship.

South Africa is currently advocating for a robust Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing (PABS) annex to the Pandemic Agreement. The country, along with the Africa Group and the Group for Equity, seeks legally binding agreements ensuring that those accessing pathogens also share the benefits of related research. These benefits include guaranteed access to vaccines and monetary contributions to strengthen global surveillance systems.

Negotiations on the PABS annex stalled before the May 2026 World Health Assembly, as several nations disagree on a final text. South Africa continues to push for a system that balances pathogen access with equitable benefit sharing, even facing pressure to accept a less comprehensive agreement. The work to establish a fair and effective PABS system remains ongoing.