Ahead of global health assembly, WHO stresses need for solidarity, preparation

The COVID-19 pandemic can be defeated through science, solutions, and solidarity, the World Health Organization (WHO) said underlining one of its core messages throughout the crisis.

The reminder comes ahead of next week’s World Health Assembly, the annual meeting of the UN agency’s decision-making body, which normally takes place in May but had to be cut short this year due to the pandemic.

There are more than 47 million COVID-19 cases, and over 1.2 million deaths, according to the latest figures. The Assembly will chart the course for response and global health priorities.

“Although this is a global crisis, many countries and cities have successfully prevented or controlled transmission with a comprehensive, evidence-based approach. For the first time, the world has rallied behind a plan to accelerate the development of the vaccines, diagnostics, and therapeutics we need, and to ensure they are available to all countries on the basis of equity. The Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator is delivering real results,” said WHO.

A second message WHO is highlighting now is the importance of not backsliding on critical health goals, including achieving the “triple billion” targets by 2023.

The goal is to see one billion more people worldwide benefiting from universal health coverage, a further billion more better protected from health emergencies, and around a billion citizens enjoying better health and well-being.

The World Health Assembly is attended by representatives from more than 190 countries. Since May, nations have adopted several decisions, including on immunization, healthy ageing, cervical cancer, tuberculosis, eye care and food safety.

The resumed session will discuss a 10-year plan to address neglected tropical diseases, and other concerns such as meningitis, epilepsy and other neurological disorders, maternal infant and young child nutrition, as well as digital health.

For its third message ahead of the virtual meeting, WHO stressed the need to prepare now for the next pandemic.

“We’ve seen this past year that countries with robust health emergency preparedness infrastructure have been able to act quickly to contain and control the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus”, said the agency, referring to the virus that causes COVID-19.

The Assembly will consider a draft resolution that aims to strengthen countries’ preparedness and to ensure they are better equipped to detect and respond to COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

So far, UN teams have repurposed around $3 billion of existing funding, while also mobilizing nearly $2 billion for these efforts, aimed at helping countries to both overcome the crisis and recover better.

Original source: UN News