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WE WILL FIGHT COVID-19 WITH EVERY TOOL WE HAVE - WHO

Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Director-General, World Health Organisation (WHO), says the agency will utilize every tool at its disposal to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.


Ghebreyesus said this at the closing of two-day virtual World Health Assembly in Geneva.


In his speech, Ghebreyesus said some of the recommendations from the assembly would be shared and be implemented.


“WHO’s focus now is fighting the pandemic with every tool at its disposal.




“Our focus is on saving lives. At the end of the day, what matters is life. That should be at the centre of everything we do and everything we say.


“I’ve been heartened by the way countries have shared experiences, best practices through our regular Member State briefings and at this Assembly,’’ he said.


The Director-General said the agency would continue to provide strategic leadership to coordinate the global response and support efforts by countries.


“We will continue providing the world with epidemiological information and analysis.


“We will continue to keep the world informed and give people and communities the information they need to keep themselves and each other safe.


“We will continue shipping diagnostics, personal protective equipment and other medical supplies all over the world.


“We will continue bringing together leading experts from around the world to develop technical advice, based on the best science.


“We will continue driving research and development to develop evidence about vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics,’’ he said.


Ghebreyesus, also said the agency would continue to work with countries and all relevant bodies to ensure equal access to the tools to prevent, detect and treat COVID-19.


“We will continue supporting countries to prepare and respond. We will continue working with countries to sustain essential health services.


“We will continue to work day and night to support the most vulnerable countries and populations.


“We will continue supporting countries to achieve the “triple billion” targets and the Sustainable Development Goals.


“And we will continue supporting countries to build resilient health systems, based on primary health care, to progress towards our shared goal of universal health coverage,” he said.


Ghebreyesus further said; “We may speak different languages, but we share the same DNA, we may adhere to different faiths, but we share the same aspirations for a peaceful and harmonious world.


“From east to west, north to south, everybody wants peace, development and health, nothing else, that’s what human beings want, that’s what humanity wants,” he said.


READ ALSO: CORONAVIRUS COULD KILL 150,000 PEOPLE IN AFRICA - WHO




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