Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, has welcomed the resolution on global commitment to the COVID-19 response adopted by Member States during the Seventy-third World Health Assembly. For the first time, the World Health Assembly was held in a virtual capacity due to the COVID-19 pandemic affecting countries around the world.
The resolution calls for united, intensified efforts – strengthening multilateral cooperation in response to the pandemic. In addition, the resolution calls on countries to ensure equitable access to – and fair distribution of – essential health technologies and products, such as diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines, to combat the virus.
Furthermore, the resolution also raises concern that the pandemic may widen existing health inequalities, disproportionally affecting the most vulnerable populations and countries.
Committed to transparency, accountability and continuous improvement, Dr Tedros plans to initiate an independent evaluation as part of the resolution. This includes, but is not limited to, WHO’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and will also review the wider global response.
The purpose of the evaluation is to improve national and international pandemic response and preparedness. Delegates pointed out that the evaluation should take place at the earliest appropriate moment, while avoiding diverting attention away from addressing the crisis.
In addition, Dr Tedros stressed that now is the time to strengthen existing organizations and called on countries to invest in WHO and provide the tools needed to ensure the world is not in a vulnerable state in case of future pandemics. This was echoed by a large number of Member States.
The need to prepare for health emergencies is a fundamental part of WHO’s 13th General Programme of Work (GPW 13), which commits to the target of 1 billion more people better protected from health emergencies.
WHO/Europe country response
This year’s World Health Assembly heard from a range of high-level representatives, including many from the WHO European Region, such as the President of the European Commission, the German Chancellor, the French President, the Italian Prime Minister and the President of the Government of Spain. They expressed the need for a strong WHO.
Global solidarity and cooperation across borders were welcomed by states from all over the European Region. Many countries also pointed out that the pandemic showed the need for more resilient health systems, including providing greater financial resources to WHO to be able to coordinate global health responses. Member States also called for equitable and transparent access to any future vaccine or medicine for COVID-19.
Furthermore, countries stressed the need to ensure that other essential health services, such as those for noncommunicable diseases and vaccination, are not neglected during the pandemic response. The resolution made a strong plea for the continued funding of health systems to ensure uninterrupted and safe health services for patients with conditions other than COVID-19.
WHO/Europe recently held a meeting of the Standing Committee for the Regional Committee (SCRC), including representatives of all Member States of the European Region, which provided an update on COVID-19 and the work undertaken by WHO/Europe. The SCRC usually meets before the beginning of the World Health Assembly, and this year endorsed the latest version of the European Programme of Work (EPW) “United Action for Better Health”. The EPW will be presented at this year’s session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe and supports the GPW 13.
WHO Regional Director for Europe statement
Dr Hans Henri P. Kluge, addressed this year’s World Health Assembly with a video statement, marking 100 days since being appointed WHO Regional Director for Europe. In his address, he thanked health-care workers for their response to the pandemic and explained that despite the unexpected circumstances, he remains determined to deliver on the EPW.
Dr Kluge highlighted that throughout the pandemic WHO/Europe has provided:
- Direct contact with countries for timely and tailored support for COVID-19 readiness and response, including 60 missions in countries across the Region. These missions aided hospital preparedness, emergency response planning, laboratory services and risk communication.
- Collaborating and working as one WHO – learning from the 5 other regional directors; the Director-General; and Dr Mike Ryan, Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme, and his team.
- Continuous engagement with a number of influencers, including the media, through virtual press briefings and answering hundreds of media requests per week.
- Strong cooperation with United Nations and other agencies, including the European Commission, the Cooperation Council of Turkic-Speaking States, the Council of Newly Independent States and the Central European Initiative.
- Support to WHO/Europe staff to take care of their mental health and well-being.
Dr Kluge also highlighted the need for continued solidarity as the world seeks to manage the COVID-19 pandemic.
International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife
2020 marks the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, and COVID-19 has highlighted the critical work undertaken every day by health-care workers around the world.
Many countries in their interventions thanked health-care workers, including nurses and midwives, for their tireless work in their response to the pandemic. This was echoed by Dr Tedros in his address, who also explained that there is currently a shortfall of 6 million nurses who will be needed to sustain universal health coverage. WHO continues to work with countries to train and recruit more nurses.