Time has come for global pandemic treaty: WHO Chief

Gallery

MORE...

Sports

U23 World Wrestling Championship: Chirag Chikkara wins gold as India end campaign with nine medals

The 18-year-old, Chirag Chikkara clinched a gold medal in the men’s freestyle 57kg categ

FIFA president Infantino confirms at least 9 African teams for the 2026 World Cup

Hockey, cricket, wrestling, badminton, squash axed from 2026 CWG in Glasgow

FIFA : Over 100 female footballers urge FIFA to reconsider partnership with Saudi oil giant

Ecuador ready to make history against Uruguay: Beccacece

Divanshi wins second gold as India sweep women's 25m standard pistol at Lima Junior Worlds

MORE...

Time has come for global pandemic treaty: WHO Chief

Last Updated : 01 Jun 2021 01:48:05 PM IST

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

The Covid-19 pandemic has proved that the world needs a pandemic treaty to strengthen both the World Health Organization (WHO) and global health security, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Tuesday.

"This is an idea whose time has come," said Ghebreyesus, in his closing remarks at the WHO's 74th World Health Assembly (WHA), which took placee online from May 24 to Tuesday.

Ghebreyesus said that the defining characteristic of the pandemic is the lack of sharing: of data, information, pathogens, technologies and resources.

"A treaty would foster improved sharing, trust and accountability, and provide the solid foundation on which to build other mechanisms for global health security.

"Pandemics are a threat to all of us. So we must work together to build a healthier, safer, fairer future -- for all of us," he said.

At the 2021 WHA, which had the theme "Ending this pandemic, preventing the next one", Ghebreyesus also called for a stronger and better-financed WHO.

"At present, pathogens have greater power than WHO. They are emerging more frequently in a planet out of balance. They exploit our interconnectedness and expose our inequities and divisions" he noted.

"The safety of the world's people cannot rely solely on the goodwill of governments," Ghebreyesus said, adding the need for more resources and authority along with an international treaty to connect countries that would strengthen the world's health security.

Ghebreyesus noted that the continuing decline in global Covid cases and deaths is very encouraging, "but it would be a monumental error for any country to think the danger has passed".

The world still faces "the same vulnerabilities that allowed a small outbreak to become a global pandemic", he said.