New York, Sep 08: The coronavirus is not the last pandemic and the world must be better prepared for the next, World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned, adding the countries must invest in public health to tackle the next pandemic in a better manner. Speaking a press conference in Geneva, Tedros said, “This will not be the last pandemic. History teaches us that outbreaks and pandemics are a fact of life. But when the next pandemic comes, the world must be ready – more ready than it was this time.”
“Tomorrow, the review committee of the International Health Regulations will begin its work. The International Health Regulation is the most important legal instrument in global health security. As a reminder, the review committee will evaluate the functioning of the IHR during the pandemic so far and recommend any changes it believes are necessary,” Tedros said during the press briefing on Monday.
“It will review the convening of the Emergency Committee, the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern, the role and functioning of international IHR focal points, and will examine the progress made in implementing the recommendations of previous International Health Regulation review committees,” Tedros added.
The WHO review committee established to assess the performance of its International Health Regulations during the global coronavirus pandemic will begin its work on Tuesday, the health body`s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said.
Meanwhile, India is now the second-worst coronavirus-hit country in the world. The country has reported 42,80,422 lakh cases and 72,775 deaths so far.