The lessons of COVID-19 may be forgotten as the world community’s attention is now focused on other crises, but the world is not ready for a new pandemic, World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said addressing the World Government Gr Summit in Dubai.
Jerrymusa.com reports that He predicted that humanity would eventually encounter a new, unidentified “X disease,” for which the globe had to start preparing right away.
COVID 19 Pandemic Experience Still Fresh
“As the focus shifts to the numerous other issues facing our planet, the terrible lessons we learned run the risk of being forgotten.”
However, Ghebreyesus warned, “The next time we will pay a heavy price if we do not learn those lessons.”
He asserts that the question is not if a new pandemic will occur, but rather when it will. “Furthermore, the world is yet unprepared for the next epidemic and Disease X.
Many of the issues we had with COVID-19 would recur if it happened tomorrow, the director general continued.
“He added that a recent It “may be caused by an influenza virus, or a new coronavirus, or it may be caused by a new pathogen we don’t even know about yet.”
Ghebreyesus noted that the WHO coined the phrase “disease X” in 2018 to describe a condition that is unknown to specialists but for which plans can be made.
He said, “COVID-19 was a disease X—a new pathogen causing a new disease,” adding that “disease X, or a disease Y, or a disease Z” might still be plaguing the world.
“Regarding that, Ghebreyesus urged nations to get past the differences that had surfaced during the ongoing WHO consultations regarding the creation of a global accord on pandemic preparedness.
The submission of the protocol was anticipated. To be approved by the World Health Assembly in May of 2024.
Disagreements have prevented the treaty from being finalised, though, including worries that signatories would have to give up some of their sovereignty to the WHO when deciding on pandemic measures.
Such assertions, according to the Director General, are unsubstantiated. “The pandemic agreement will not give WHO any power over any state or any individual, for that matter,” he said.