...By Henry George for TDPel Media.
The head of the World Health Organization (WHO), Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has issued a stark warning that the world must brace itself for the emergence of a virus even deadlier than Covid-19.
With the global death toll from Covid-19 standing at around 7 million, including 226,196 in the UK, the WHO emphasizes the need to be prepared for more severe diseases in the future.
Addressing the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Dr. Tedros urged that the world cannot simply return to pre-pandemic ways after emerging from what he called a “long, dark tunnel” of the Covid-19 crisis.
He highlighted the unpreparedness of the world in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic, which he described as the most severe health crisis in a century.
Over the past three years, Covid-19 has caused immense disruption, not only claiming millions of lives but also severely impacting health systems, economies, societies, and politics globally.
Dr. Tedros emphasized the transformative impact of the pandemic and the necessity to confront it head-on.
Moreover, Dr. Tedros warned that the threat of an even deadlier pathogen surpassing the severity of Covid-19 looms over humanity.
The possibility of new variants causing surges in disease and death, as well as the emergence of another pathogen with higher lethal potential, must not be ignored.
He stressed the urgency of taking necessary actions and not postponing them, emphasizing the need for decisive, collective, and equitable responses when the next pandemic strikes.
While acknowledging that Covid-19 remains an ongoing issue, Dr. Tedros clarified that it no longer represents a public health emergency of international concern, but it still requires attention due to its impact.
However, he emphasized that moving forward requires a departure from past approaches, with a recognition of the lessons learned during the pandemic.
This pivotal moment calls for reflection on the challenges faced during the dark tunnel of the pandemic and a determination to move forward with the light shed by those painful lessons.
Dr. Tedros underscored the importance of a shared response to confront future threats, as the world can only effectively address shared health crises through collaborative efforts.
The WHO’s warning serves as a reminder that while the world grapples with the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, it must also remain vigilant and prepared for the potential emergence of even deadlier viruses in the future.
By learning from the challenges faced and implementing necessary changes, the global community can better equip itself to respond effectively and safeguard public health in the face of future pandemics.
