The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) told journalists on Wednesday that current illness outbreaks show the urgent need for all nations to strengthen their care systems.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued the call against the backdrop of Marburg and mumps outbreaks, the weekly reporting of more than 10,000 COVID-19 deaths, and the ongoing emergency response to the tragic earthquake in Syria and Turkey.
“Together, these current situations demonstrate the crucial necessity for all nations to have health systems” capable of handling such emergencies, he said.
Recalling his recent trip to Syria, he stated that more than a decade of war had rendered the country’s health infrastructure incapable of dealing with the consequences of the recent earthquake, with town after town being demolished as a manifestation of the war’s legacy.
He stated that recent outbreaks are a harsh reminder of the urgent need to enhance health systems. “Together, these current situations demonstrate the crucial necessity for all nations to have health systems” capable of handling such emergencies, he said.
Recalling his recent trip to Syria, he stated that more than a decade of war had rendered the country’s health infrastructure incapable of dealing with the consequences of the recent earthquake, with town after town being demolished as a manifestation of the war’s legacy.
He stated that recent outbreaks are a harsh reminder of the urgent need to enhance health systems; in response to the recent epidemic in Equatorial Guinea, WHO is collaborating with authorities to prepare for the early detection of any suspected cases of Marburg, a rare Ebola-like virus with an 88 percent mortality rate.
There have been nine recorded deaths, with no verified cases in neighboring Cameroon and Gabon. Vaccines are now being produced, and Equatorial Guinea will be included in any decisions regarding relevant clinical trials, he added.
According to Dr. Abdi Mahamud of the World Health Organization, the lessons learnt from the COVID-19 epidemic have already manifested in the present push to increase surveillance efforts in adjacent nations.
While WHO praised ongoing efforts and the continuing drop in mpox infections, he reported that over thirty nations are currently reporting cases.
“The outbreak remains a global public health emergency,” Tedros warned. In addition, worries remain over underreporting, particularly in places where previous cases have been documented, he said, urging all states to continue surveillance efforts.
Outbreaks of mpox, a rare viral disease typically found in tropical rainforest regions of Central and West Africa, have surfaced in various parts of the world, affecting 110 countries and resulting in over 80,000 cases and 55 deaths.
Evidence of COVID-
The number of pandemic-related hospitalizations and deaths has decreased, but 10,000 deaths are still reported each week, according to the head of WHO.
“This is 10,000 too many fatalities from a preventable disease,” he remarked. Due to their enhanced transmissibility and lethality, subvariants of the Omicron strain continue to be a source of worry.
Given the millions of people who died and were affected by COVID-19, Tedros stated that tracing the pandemic’s genesis is essential for scientific and ethical grounds in order to prevent the next illness outbreak.
Morally, it is essential to know how our loved ones passed away, he stated. “We must persist until we discover the origins and cause of this pandemic.” Investigations on the origins of COVID-19, Ebola, Marburg, and other diseases are ongoing.
The Scientific Advisory Group for the Origins of Novel Pathogens (SAGO) has outlined the next steps, notwithstanding the fact that WHO lacks the authority to conduct relevant research in any country.
