2023-05-08 11:33:30
The World Health Organization (WHO) declared, on Friday May 5, the end of Covid-19 as a public health emergency of international concern, while recalling that the virus is not yet completely eradicated.
“It is with great hope that I declare that Covid-19 is no longer a health emergency of international concern,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at WHO headquarters. agency in Geneva.
In his words, the pandemic “is on a downward trend”, for more than 12 months death rates have declined and pressure on once overwhelmed health systems has eased. This trend, he said, has allowed most countries to return to pre-Covid-19 life.
But Tedros, at the same time, stressed that the new WHO measure does not “mean that Covid-19 is over as a threat to global health”. The virus “still kills” as thousands around the world continue to fight for their lives in intensive care, and millions more will likely live with post-Covid effects, he said. he continued.
For the boss of the WHO, the risk remains that “new variants emerge, which cause new surges in cases and deaths”.
Separately, while paying tribute to the “incredible skill and selfless dedication of health care workers” around the world, Tedros lamented the many mistakes that have been made, including a lack of coordination, fairness and solidarity. He said existing tools and technologies have not been used to the best of their ability to fight the virus.
“We must promise ourselves and our children and grandchildren that we will never make these mistakes once more (…) This experience must change us all for the better. This must make us more determined to achieve the vision that nations had when they founded the WHO in 1948: the highest attainable standard of health, for all,” he urged.
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