Running head: WTO AGREEMENTS ON PUBLIC HEALTH 1

WTO AGREEMENTS ON PUBLIC HEALTH

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WTO agreements on Public Health

The WTO agreements on Public Health sought to replace the General Agreement on

Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which dated back to 1948. It deals with the relevant WTO

Agreements and the way health and health policies may be influenced by them. This has

generally been enough evidence that health policy makers are progressively becoming interested

in the two-way piecing of trade and health at both the national level and the international level.

The WTO agreements surpass the GATT by a number of means, mainly having established

specific trade rules meant to strengthen the health sector. Also the agreements encompass such

areas as agriculture, textiles and sanitary measures.

The specific concerns outlined by the agreements focuses on eight health issues that

include: Infectious disease control, Food Safety, Tobacco control, Environment, Access to drugs

and vaccines, Health services, Food security and nutrition as well as emerging issues. According

to Agreements, W. T. O. (2002), a healthy body for all individuals is an accepted international

advancement objective and also a building block for sustainable economic advancement, which

is an objective that both the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the World Health

Organization (WHO) are working towards achieving.

With the emergence of new global health threats (the likes of HIV/AIDS, Ebola and

Marburg viruses) in the world today, there needs methods and measures with which to combat

them. In addition, many "older" diseases (such as malaria and tuberculosis) are growing to

become an even greater threat since they have developed resistance to the drugs that are

commonly used to treat them. Infectious diseases, in some exceptional circumstances may lead to

emergence of trade or travel restrictions, between countries, states or provinces. Such restrictions

include quarantines or trade embargoes. To facilitate quick action, these have been most recently,
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replaced by an amalgamation of information sharing through networks, epidemic preparedness

plans, early warning surveillance systems, speedy communications and stockpiles of essential

medicines.

Food safety is a growing worldwide concern with several new sources of food-borne

illness pose an increasing relevance to international trade (for instance the spread of mad cow dis

ease (BSE) and its feasible transmission to persons). Demands pertaining to safety of traded

foods have been on the rise due to the trend towards the exports and imports of more and more

processed foods combined with the fact that consumers are increasing their awareness and

concern. Hence the measures on food safety are taken to shield human life or health from risks

arising from toxins, contaminants, additives, pesticide residues, and other organisms that cause

disease in foods or beverages.

The negative health effects of Tobacco led to forming of these measures to reduce

tobacco consumption. This has been seen to work since higher tariffs on tobacco have

contributed to higher consumer prices and therefore lower levels of consumption. However with

increased concern a host of the WTO measures which are consistent and non-discriminatory,

such as internal taxes and other tobacco control measures.

The WTO measures on the Environment come about due to the link connecting the

health, environment and trade. The measures highlight that elimination of government subsidies

to polluting industries or to the energy and agricultural sectors as well as removal of trade

barriers to modern "green" technologies and to the suppliers of environmental goods and services

has a potential benefit for both the environment and hence therefore human health.
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Recent estimates from the WHO, according to Ahmadiani & Nikfar (2016)

indicates that one third of the world's population currently lacks access to vital drugs, and the

number is higher in poor countries in Africa and Asia where over 50 per cent of people have no

access to even the most quintessential drugs. Agreements, W. T. O. (2002) outline that selection

and use of a viable rational, sustainable financing, reliable supply systems and affordable

medicine prices, will lead to solving part of the problem.

Health services is currently becoming a sensation in International trade with health

professionals relocating to other countries, either on a temporary or a permanent basis. This is

usually in pursue of higher wages as well as better working conditions. Also notable increases in

foreign investment by health insurance companies and hospital operators who are seeking to

attract health consumers from other countries. But this all depends on appropriate trade

regulations, liberalization which can contribute to enhancement of quality and efficient supplies

hence leading to increased earnings in terms of foreign exchange.

The food security issue is complex and has many constituents. Economic access to food

at the national level, is dependent on national production and distribution, access of the produce

to international markets and the availability of foreign exchange to buy the imports. In countries

that rely on imports of basic foods national food security is a concern primarily and trade

liberalization may reduce self-sufficiency in basic food production, and increases reliance on

imports. However, the WTO agreements sought to correct such by introducing measures that

tend to work for the good of food security. Emerging issues tend to examine the affiliation

between health and trade in the following three cases. Biotechnology and Information

technology, as well as a third emerging health issue of herbal medicines and traditional

knowledge for treating illnesses.

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With the increase in integration around the world, it becomes less and less possible for

diverse policy areas to be handled independently. However the linkage between trade and health

has proved that it is possible to marry the two in perfect harmony and obtain a coordinated

relationship, using the WTO agreements on Public Health towards the betterment of human

health.
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References

Ahmadiani, S., & Nikfar, S. (2016). Challenges of access to medicine and the responsibility of

pharmaceutical companies: a legal perspective. DARU Journal of Pharmaceutical

Sciences, 24(1), 13.

Agreements, W. T. O. (2002). Public Health: A Joint Study by the WHO and the WTO

Secretariat. World Trade Organization & World Health Organization.