The world’s governments must prepare for a new pandemic – even deadlier than covid-19.
That’s what WHO director Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says.
– The threat of another variant emerging that causes new upsurges in disease and death remains.
On Tuesday, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the WHO, spoke at the World Health Organization’s annual meeting in Geneva. Ghebreyesus pressed that now is the time to intensify negotiations to prevent the next pandemic, reports Independent.
The director general was clear: He believes the next pandemic is imminent.
– If we don’t make the changes that need to be made, who will? And if we don’t do them now, when?, he asks the audience.
– The threat of another variant emerging causing new increases in disease and death remains. And the threat of another pathogen emerging with even more deadly potential remains, he continues.
Negotiating new reforms
The organization’s 194 member countries are currently negotiating new reforms that determine the countries’ obligations in the event of an international health threat, writes the Independent.
A broader pandemic treaty is also being drafted to be ratified next year.
– A commitment from this generation is important, because it is this generation that has experienced how terrible a small virus can be, says Ghebreyesus.
Sweden’s infection control ineffective
Sweden’s pandemic management was not optimal, the National Audit Office stated in an examination presented last week.
The national audit came to the conclusion that the national infection control was not effective and that the Infection Control Act is not adapted to handle situations with extensive spread of infection.
– Overall, national infection control works well, but in the face of future outbreaks of infection, we can only state that we need to improve more parts. So in that way it is serious, that it is individuals who are affected and you can also say that this is about yes, life and death in the end, said Ann-Christin Johnreden, project manager for the review at the National Audit Office.