Covid-19 pandemic far from over Says WHO chief

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus informed that the pandemic is far from over while addressing the 75th World Health Assembly, Ghebreyesus.

According to the reports he stated that the Covid-19 pandemic had demonstrated why the world needed the WHO. “The pandemic is far from over. And even as we continue to fight it, we face the task of restoring essential health services, with 90 per cent of member states reporting disruption to one or more essential health services,” he said.

“We need a stronger and sustainably financed WHO, at the center of the global health security architecture. In ways small and large, seen and unseen, I am proud to say that this organization is making a difference,” he added.

The WHO was still “far behind” to see 1 billion more people benefitting from universal health coverage by next year. Before the pandemic, the WHO estimated that only 270 million more people would be covered by 2023 — a shortfall of 730 million people against the target of 1 billion.

“Disruptions to health services during the pandemic have sent us backwards, and we estimate the shortfall could reach 840 million. We are calling on every government to put the health of its people at the center of its plans for development and growth,” he said.