Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41464441›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2025

Global Health Governance and the WHO Pandemic Agreement: A Scoping Review of Challenges and Analysis of Reforms.

Kadria Ali Abdel-Motaal, Wafa Abu El Kheir-Mataria, Sungsoo Chun

Abstract readScoping Review
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Developing and Validating a Global Governance Framework for Health: A Delphi Consensus Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2026
    Article
  2. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

3 authors.

Kadria Ali Abdel-MotaalInstitute of Global Health and Human Ecology, American University, New Cairo 11835, Egypt.ORCID 0009-0004-4996-4852
Wafa Abu El Kheir-MatariaInstitute of Global Health and Human Ecology, American University, New Cairo 11835, Egypt.ORCID 0000-0002-9689-5667
Sungsoo ChunInstitute of Global Health and Human Ecology, American University, New Cairo 11835, Egypt.ORCID 0000-0002-8105-7062

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic exposed persistent weaknesses in global health governance, particularly in preparedness, equity, and accountability. The WHO Pandemic Agreement, adopted in May 2025, aims to address these systemic gaps through a binding international framework.

objectiveTo identify key challenges in global pandemic preparedness and health governance reported in the literature (2019-2024) through a systematic scoping review, and to evaluate how these challenges are addressed in the provisions of the WHO Pandemic Agreement via qualitative document analysis.

methodsUsing Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we systematically identified and thematically analyzed 52 peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2024. The thematic results informed a qualitative document analysis of the WHO Pandemic Agreement text to assess the extent to which its provisions address the identified challenges.

resultsPersistent gaps in governance (limited enforceability, fragmented coordination), equity (inequitable access to medical countermeasures), capacity (technology transfer and financing), and accountability were identified. Health systems in low- and middle-income countries continue to face critical resource constraints and lack robust mechanisms to ensure accountability and continuous learning. Document analysis showed the WHO Pandemic Agreement addresses coordination and financing but offers limited advances in enforcement, technology transfer, and independent monitoring.

conclusionThe WHO Pandemic Agreement introduces important institutional and financing measures, but persistent gaps remain in enforcement, technology transfer, and inclusive implementation. Strengthening these domains is crucial to achieving equitable and resilient preparedness. By systematically linking evidence from the pandemic preparedness literature to Treaty provisions, this study offers a novel analytical framework for assessing how global health treaties respond to research-identified challenges.

Indexed as

COVID-19Global HealthInternational CooperationPandemicsWorld Health OrganizationHumansSARS-CoV-2global health governanceinternational health regulationspandemic preparednesstreaty implementationvaccine equityWHO pandemic agreement

Identifiers

PMID41464441
PMCPMC12732687

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.