Stressing that the Covid 19 pandemic remains a major public health crisis, the World Health Organisation has urged all the governments across the world to work together and live up to their commitments for the equitable distribution of the covid vaccine.
In his first press conference of the year, WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus also asked the pharmaceutical institutions to augment the supply of the vaccines and to be part of COVAX. He stated that public health experts and scientists continued to build back stronger and greener systems. Tedros said that his hope was that there would be less politicking about health in the year ahead.
Mentioning that the scientific community has set a new standard for vaccine development”, the WHO chief requested the international community to set a new standard for access.
Investment
The WHO chief said that the organisation’s work stretched “far beyond emergencies”. Tedros noted that WHO strived to improve human health in all its aspects from birth to old age. He pointed out that the agency had learned a lot in 2020. Apart from health as an investment in overall development, he said that they have learned that health was a key pillar of national security and much needed for thriving economies.
No afterthought
The WHO Chief opined that integrated primary healthcare system was imperative to prevent, screen and treat infectious and non-communicable diseases. He said that health could not be “an afterthought when we have an emergency”. He also stressed the importance of investing in preparedness and surveillance to curb the next pandemic.
