WHO Director-General says pandemic of COVID's magnitude should not happen anytime soon

WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus recently said that COVID cases have decreased in Southeast Asia during the past month at the Regional Committee for Southeast Asia's 74th Session on Monday. However, he also raised an alarm about the ongoing pandemic. He advised states to work together to prevent a pandemic of the same magnitude as COVID-19 from resurfacing in the near future by adopting appropriate steps.

Top health executives speaking at the virtual event hosted by Nepal underlined the necessity of supplying vaccinations, medications, equipment, and technology to the region, as well as a deeper commitment to global healthcare delivery and a risk-averse health system, according to WHO.

WHO's goal is to vaccinate 40% of the population by the end of the year

According to the UN News, WHO's goals are to help every country vaccinate at least 10% of its population by the end of the month, 40% by the end of the year, and 70% by the middle of the next year. During the G20 meeting, Tedros said that they can still achieve these targets, but only with the commitment and help of G20 countries. He asserted that as the major manufacturers, consumers, and donors of COVID-19 vaccines, they are the key to attaining vaccination fairness.

According to Tedros, global solutions to the pandemic must be based on a set of key principles. They must be multisectoral, engaging partners from across the One Health spectrum, linked to and aligned with WHO's mandate, and ensure coherence with the International Health Regulations and other international instruments. They must also be accountable and transparent.

Four key actions

The WHO director-general has outlined four key areas for action, beginning with improved global governance. He said that an international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response will reinforce the framework for global cooperation by establishing the rules of the game and increasing national solidarity. His second conclusion was that more and better funding for national and global readiness and a response was needed. Tedros stated that WHO has already taken steps toward better systems and tools across the One Health spectrum, which is his third action. Finally, he stressed the importance of a "stronger, more empowered, and sustainably funded WHO" in order to fully implement the Organization's vast mandate, according to UN News. 

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