The Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, has called on countries to be prepared for future pandemics. Speaking at the ongoing 76th World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, Dr Ghebreyesus highlighted that the end of the global health emergency caused by COVID-19 does not mean the end of the threat posed by the virus. He warned of the possibility of new variants emerging that could cause fresh surges in cases and deaths, and of the potential for other even deadlier pathogens to emerge. Dr Ghebreyesus added that pandemics were not the only threat to global health and that it was crucial to have effective emergency response organisations to address any emergency that occurred.
The WHO is using the High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Preparedness and Response, which is taking place during the Assembly, to encourage leaders to take a more proactive approach to tackling pandemics. Dr Ghebreyesus called on world leaders to make the necessary changes and investments to emergency preparedness immediately so that countries could be ready to respond to future threats decisively, equitably, and collectively.
As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, the WHO has stressed the need to take a long-term approach to addressing public health crises. The High-Level Meeting on Pandemic Preparedness and Response aims to chart a clear path toward addressing not only COVID-19 but also the rising threat of other infectious diseases.
