WHO calls upon world to expect more pandemics if …

… stresses need to pay attention to Climate Emergency, animal welfare

… frowns on practice of throwing money at the problem

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned that COVID-19 will not be the last pandemic to trouble the world, and attempts to improve human health are bound to fail unless action is taken to address burning issues such as the Climate Emergency and to ensure animal welfare.

WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has frowned on the practice of what he calls “dangerously short-sighted” cycle of throwing cash at outbreaks without making preparations for tackling the next one.

Dr. Ghebreyesus said so in a video message marking Sunday’s first International Day of Epidemic Preparedness. He stressed the need for the nations to learn the lessons from the pandemic.

 “For too long, the world has operated on a cycle of panic and neglect … “We throw money at an outbreak, and when it’s over, we forget about it and do nothing to prevent the next one. This is dangerously short-sighted, and frankly difficult to understand.

“History tells us that this will not be the last pandemic, and epidemics are a fact of life … The pandemic has highlighted the intimate links between the health of humans, animals and planet.

“Any efforts to improve human health are doomed unless they address the critical interface between humans and animals, and the existential threat of climate change that’s making our earth less habitable.

 “In the past 12 months, our world has been turned upside-down. The impacts of the pandemic go far beyond the disease itself, with far-reaching consequences for societies and economies.”

The International Day of Epidemic Preparedness was called for by the United Nations General Assembly to promote the importance of prevention, preparedness and partnership in tackling epidemics.