“WHO Urges World to Prepare for Next Pandemic: Calls for Funding and Reforms”

GENEVA – Head of the World Health Organization ( WHO ), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday (22/5/2023) urged countries in the world to carry out the necessary reforms to prepare pandemic next.

He also called on countries to respect previous commitments to increase funding for the UN health agency. According to Tedros, the time has come to move negotiations forward to prevent the next pandemic.

He made the point at the WHO’s annual health assembly, weeks after ending the global emergency status for the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We can’t stop this can,” Tedros said in a keynote address to the agency’s member states, as quoted by Reuters. He also warned that the next pandemic would definitely “come”.

“If we don’t make the changes that need to be made, then who will? And, if we don’t do it now, then when?” he insisted.

The annual World Health Assembly takes place over 10 days in Geneva, which coincides with the body’s 75th anniversary. This meeting was held to address global health challenges, including future pandemics.

WHO’s 194 member states are currently negotiating binding regulatory reforms that fix their obligations in the event of an international health threat and are also working on a broader pandemic agreement to be ratified next year.

“The commitment of this generation (to the pandemic deal) is important, because it is this generation that has experienced how terrible a small virus can be,” Tedros said. Countries will also consider WHO’s 2024-2025 budget which includes an increase in annual country fees.

(esn)