74th World Health Assembly: WHO chief says 115,000 health workers have died of COVID-19

As many as 115,000 healthcare workers have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began in 2020, World Health Organisation WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in the main annual assembly remarks. "For almost 18 months, health and care workers all over the world have stood in the breach between life and death,” the WHO chief said, adding that while reporting is scant, several health professionals have paid the ultimate price in the service of others as they became infected treating others of COVID-19.

Addressing the issue of vaccine inequity, the WHO chief said, "There is no diplomatic way to say it: a small group of countries that make and buy the majority of the ’s vaccines control the fate of the rest of the world." As the WHO commenced the 74th World Health Assembly, which will take place virtually from 24 May to 1 June 2021 due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the health agency signed a 'Memorandum of Understanding' to launch the first WHO 'BioHub Facility' for the research of the deadly pathogens. "This facility will enhance the rapid sharing of viruses and other pathogens between laboratories and partners globally," the WHO said in a statement, adding that the "timely sharing of epidemiological and clinical data as well as biological materials is of the utmost importance" to tackle the pandemics. 

“The COVID-19 pandemic and other outbreaks and epidemics have underscored the importance of rapidly sharing pathogens to help the global scientific community assess the risk and develop countermeasures such as diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.

“The BioHub System is an important step towards facilitating this flow of information. We thank the Swiss Government for its support in establishing the first  BioHub Facility.”

Pandemic's IInd year 'far more deadlier'

Last week, WHO Chief Tedros had warned that the COVID-19 pandemic's second year will be “far deadlier” as he urged the wealthier nations to donate the vaccines to the developing nations via COVAX rather than “jab children.” Speaking at a press conference, World Health Organization's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus had said, "We’re on track for the second year of this pandemic to be far more deadly than the first.” He stressed, "I understand why some countries want to vaccinate their children and adolescents, but right now I urge them to reconsider and to instead donate vaccines to COVAX.” WHO also cautioned that the cases and deaths have been increasing rapidly in WHO’s South-East Asia region, adding that there are countries in every region now with “increasing trends.”