WHO Director at G20 Meeting in India: Covid-19 Still a Global Health Threat; New Variant Under Scan

Covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency, but it still poses a “global health threat,” according to WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, who also noted that a new coronavirus type is already being studied.

At the G20 Health Ministers’ Meeting opening ceremony at the Mahatma Mandir Convention Center in Gujarat’s capital Gandhinagar, the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) spoke.

“Despite the fact that COVID-19 is no longer a global health emergency, it nonetheless poses a hazard to health worldwide. Recent classification by WHO of a novel variety with many mutations. The BA.2.86 variety is now being monitored, underscoring once again the necessity for all nations to continue surveillance, he added. On this occasion, he asked all the nations to expedite the “Pandemic Accord” finalization process so that it might be ratified at the World Health Assembly, which is slated to take place in 2019.

We have all learned a valuable lesson from Covid-19: When one’s health is at stake, everything is at risk. Dr. Ghebreyesus said in his speech to the G20 member nations that “the world is learning the painful lessons of the pandemic.”

He said that beginning with Saudi Arabia’s president, negotiations resulted in the formation of a joint “Finance Health Task Force” sponsored by Indonesia and, more recently, India during their respective presidencies.

Negotiations on the Pandemic Accord and changes to the international health standards, according to the head of the WHO, are progressing well. Both, according to him, are crucial for establishing the legal and practical basis for a comprehensive, well-organized, and just global health security architecture.

“I ask for your support in drafting a thorough pandemic accord that covers every aspect of the disease so that we never make the same errors again. Here, time is of the importance. The World Health Assembly is expected to discuss the agreement the following year, he added.

The WHO director commended India for using telemedicine at the basic healthcare level at the time. Additionally, he praised India for “its commitment to domestic universal health coverage, particularly through Ayushman Bharat, the largest health insurance program in the world.”

“I applaud India and the whole G20 for taking the initiative in creating the official launch of the global effort on digital health tomorrow. This significant endeavor will reinforce previous projects, such as the WHO Global Digital Health Certification Network, and promote the WHO Global Strategy on Digital Health, he added.

Mansukh Mandaviya, the union minister of health, also addressed at the occasion.