We are now in a post-pandemic era after the World Health Organization (WHO) declared on May 5 that COVID-19 should no longer be considered a public health emergency. However, new and deadlier threats may be on the horizon.
Last week, during the World Health Assembly (WHA) in Geneva, Switzerland, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned of the sudden emergence of a potential global threat circulation.
Ghebreyesus is quoted by Ghebreyesus as saying: “The threat of the emergence of another variant causing a new surge in disease and death remains. The threat of the emergence of another pathogen with a more lethal potential remains” news medical During the meeting.
Additionally, the head of the WHO reminded everyone not to be complacent that the COVID-19 pandemic is over. “The end of COVID-19 as a global health emergency is not the end of COVID-19 as a global health threat,” he told delegates from the 194 member states at the conference.
According to Ghebreyesus, “epidemics are far from the only threat we face.” He therefore urges everyone to intensify global efforts to respond to emergencies of all kinds so that the world is always prepared for new crises.
On 20 May, the World Health Organization launched the International Pathogen Surveillance Network (IPSN) to help protect people from infectious disease threats through pathogen genomics.
The program will serve as a platform for countries and regions to connect and improve their sample collection and analysis systems. This will also allow everyone to share new information more widely.
“As the world fights COVID-19 together, global collaboration on pathogen genome surveillance is critical. IPSN builds on this experience to create a powerful platform for partners across sectors and borders to share knowledge, tools and practices to ensure pandemic prevention and response are effective. Innovative and strong for the future,” Rockefeller Foundation Chairman Dr. Rajiv J. Shah said at a conference. WHO press release.
The 76th World Health Assembly will run until 30 May. Several proposals to strengthen the response of UN agencies to health emergencies and epidemics are being discussed at the meeting.
Published by Medicaldaily.com