Because 2022 draws to a close up, he optimistically outlined “many reasons for hope”. To make a comprehensive risk assessment of the situation on a lawn, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesu informed journalists at a regular briefing in Geneva that WHO needs more detailed information on condition severity, hospital admissions and requirements for ICU assistance.
Challenging year
Furthermore, gaps in understanding – from how the pandemic began to post-COVID-19 conditions – imply we do not know the best treatment for those suffering from the long-term consequences of infection or how to prevent future pandemics. “Certainly, we are in a much better place with all the pandemic than we were last year, when we were in the early stages of the Omicron wave, with rapidly increasing cases and deaths”, the senior EL official continued. The WHO chief painted a picture of gaps in surveillance; vaccinations; treatments and health systems.
Trigger for optimism
“That’s let alone the multiple other risks to health that people encounter year in, year out, in the air they breathe, the products they consume, the problems in which they live plus work, and in their lack of access to essential health services”, Tedros said. From a global outbreak of monkeypox , now referred to as mpox , to cholera eruptions in multiple countries and a good Ebola occurrence in Uganda, to wars in Ethiopia and Ukraine; drought plus flooding in the greater Car horn of Africa and the Sahel; and flooding in Pakistan, the year has been challenging on many fronts. Although in its third year, COVID-19 is not the only challenge for the world’s people. Numerous uncertainties and gaps remaining, he maintained however , that it is too early to say that the pandemic is over. “We continue to call on China to talk about the data and conduct the studies we have requested, plus which we continue to request”, Tedros said, noting that will “all hypotheses about the origins of this pandemic remain on the particular table”.
Spaces and uncertainties
“WHO is usually supporting China to focus its efforts on vaccinating people at the highest risk across the nation, and we continue to offer the support for clinical care and protecting its wellness system”, he said. “The COVID-19 pandemic has declined significantly this year, the global monkeypox break out is waning, and there has been no cases of Ebola in Uganda for more than three weeks”, the WHO ALSO chief observed. He expressed hope that each of these events will be declared over at various points next year. “Since the particular peak at the end of January, the number of weekly reported COVID-19 deaths has dropped almost ninety per cent”.
