By: Henrietta Afful
The Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is “in sight.”
“Last week, the number of weekly reported deaths from covid-19 was the lowest since March 2020. We have never been in a better position to end the pandemic”, the Head of the World Health Organization told journalists during his weekly regular press conference on Wednesday, September 14, 2022.
He however urged countries to maintain vigilance cautioning that the world is not yet there.
“We are not there yet but the end is in sight” he said.
Likening the pandemic to that of a marathon race, Dr Ghebreyesus said: “A marathon runner does not stop when the finish line comes into view. She runs harder, with all the energy she has left. So must we. We can see the finish line. We are in a winning position but now is the worst time to stop running. Now is the time to run harder and make sure we cross the line and reap the rewards of all our hard work.”
He said if the world fails to seize the opportunity provided, it risks more variants, deaths, disruption, and uncertainty.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said WHO is releasing six short policy briefs that outline key actions that world leaders must take to finish the race.
The policy briefs are a summary, based on the evidence and experience of the last 32 months.
They outline what works best to save lives, protect health systems, and avoid social and economic disruption.
