Campaigns are seeking to undermine the agreement which aims to better protect and prepare nations against future pandemics
Nigel Farage has been accused of spreading misinformation over comments he’s made about a global treaty aimed at preparing countries for future pandemics.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is working with its 194 member states on an agreement about pandemic protection and preparation. But the treaty has become the target of a new campaign, Action on World Health, fronted by Nigel Farage which aims to block the deal.
Health Minister Andrew Stephenson warned this week that “myths” were being spread about the proposed WHO treaty. He said that “under no circumstances” would it give the WHO power to mandate lockdowns and that this “has never been proposed”. He added it was “simply not true” that it would require countries to give away their vaccines.
However the Tory Minister also said that the current text of the treaty “is not acceptable to us”, and that unless it is changed the UK will not be signing up.
It came after Farage told Talk TV the day before that the treaty would give the WHO the ability to take away 20% of the UK’s PPE and vaccines. He also claimed it would give the organisation power to “dictate behaviour” such as mask wearing, lockdowns and the ability to travel.
Now the Guardian reported that the WHO has accused politicians like Nigel Farage of spreading misinformation that could jeopardise the landmark agreement, which countries have spent two years trying to reach.
A WHO spokesperson told the Guardian: “Claims that the draft agreement will cede sovereignty to WHO and will give the WHO secretariat power to impose lockdowns or vaccine mandates on countries are false and have never been requested nor proposed. This agreement will not, and cannot, grant sovereignty to WHO.”
The Guardian said that concern had been raised by European ambassadors at the WHO headquarters about misinformation being shared, like that from Nigel Farage.
Farage has denied the campaign is spreading misinformation. Whilst Suella Braverman has also echoed Farage in claiming the treaty would “force us into lockdown”.
The pandemic treaty is meant to be a legally binding agreement aimed at uniting and preparing nations against the real threat of another pandemic and making global access to vaccines more equal.
(Image credit: Gage Skidmore / Flickr)
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward
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