Coronavirus can be defeated, world must prepare for next pandemic: WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has acknowledged that coronavirus can be defeated with Science and comprehensive, evidence-based approach, and warned that “the world must prepare for the next pandemic”. The Health body said that countries must keep critical health goals a priority and must not be lax on that front even after defeating the deadly virus. 

A draft resolution is also being considered by the World Health Assembly (WHA) to take care of future emergencies like COVID-19, which took the world by surprise. The draft will strengthen preparedness for health emergencies and will be in compliance with the International Health Regulations (2005), the WHO has outlined.

“Although this is a global crisis, many countries and cities have successfully prevented or controlled transmission with a comprehensive, evidence-based approach. For the first time, the world has rallied behind a plan to accelerate the development of the vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics we need, and to ensure they are available to all countries on the basis of equity. The Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator is delivering real results,” WHO said.

WHO also said the world must prepare for the next pandemic now. The World Health Assembly will in this regard consider a draft resolution that strengthens preparedness for health emergencies, such as COVID-19, through more robust compliance with the International Health Regulations (2005).

The WHO said, “This resolution calls on the global health community to ensure that all countries are better equipped to detect and respond to cases of COVID-19 and other dangerous infectious diseases.” The WHO also warned that countries must not backslide on critical health goals.

More than 47 million COVID-19 cases have now been reported to WHO, and more than 1.2 million people have lost their lives.