GENEVA | After three years of “crisis, suffering and loss” related to COVID-19 finally come to an end in 2023, the world must adequately prepare for future pandemics, the WHO chief said on Tuesday.
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stressed that this year marked a turning point in the fight against major health problems, but there was also “immense suffering that could have been avoided.”
In his year-end message, Tedros called for increased humanitarian efforts in the Gaza Strip and called on countries to reach an “excellent” agreement to close preparedness gaps in the event of a future pandemic.
“2024 presents a unique opportunity to close these gaps,” he said, recalling that countries are negotiating the first global agreement on pandemic threats.
“The pandemic deal is intended to close the gaps in cooperation, cooperation and fairness,” he added.
Mr Tedros raised the highest alert level for the COVID-19 pandemic in May, believing it was now sufficiently under control.
“It marked a turning point for the world after three years of crisis, suffering and loss for people around the world. “I am pleased that life has returned to normal,” emphasized the WHO chief in his video message.
The WHO also lifted the similar warning on MPox (long called monkeypox) in May 2023, while the UN health agency approved new vaccines against malaria, dengue fever and meningitis, Mr Tedros recalled. Azerbaijan, Belize and Tajikistan have now been declared malaria-free.
Mr Tedros welcomed the fact that the impact of climate change on health was highlighted during the last COP.
The WHO chief described Hamas' attacks against Israel as “barbaric,” “which triggered a devastating attack on Gaza.” He added that “relief and humanitarian efforts are far from sufficient to meet the needs of the people of Gaza,” and reiterated the WHO's call for an immediate ceasefire.
Regarding the resurgence of cholera, with a record number of more than 40 epidemic outbreaks around the world, he noted that the situation is “particularly worrying.”