Sodiq Ojuroungbe
The Director General of the World Health Organisation, Tedros Ghebreyesus has raised concerns that the number of countries reporting COVID-19 data has declined significantly despite the continuous risk posed by the virus.
He noted that said since the declaration of an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency, only 25 per cent of countries and territories across the world reported cases of COVID-19 deaths and hospitalisation to WHO.
He made this known Wednesday at the WHO media briefing on global health issues monitored by PUNCH Healthwise.
While confirming there is a drastic reduction in the number of cases and deaths related to COVID-19, the WHO DG said the virus continues to circulate and kill people in all countries.
Ghebreyesus stressed that the global health organisation will continue to assess the risk of Covid-19, adding that there are more dangerous variants emerging that could cause a sudden increase in cases and deaths.
He said, “In the past month, only 25 per cent of countries and territories have reported cases of COVID-19 death to WHO, and only 11 per cent have reported hospitalisation and ICU admissions. This doesn’t mean that other countries don’t have death or hospitalisation. It means they are not reporting them to WHO.
“There is no question that the risk of severe disease and death is vastly lower than it was a year ago, thanks to increasing population immunity from vaccination, infection, or both, and from early diagnosis with better clinical care.
“Despite these improvements, WHO continues to assess the risk of Covid-19 to the global public as high. The virus continues to circulate in all countries. It continues to kill and it continues to change.
“WHO is currently tracking several variants, including EG. 5, for which we are publishing a risk evaluation today.”
Ghebreyesus went on to issue standing recommendations in seven major areas to help in preparedness and response plan.
He urged countries across the world to update their national Covid-19 programmes using the WHO strategic preparedness and response plan, to move towards longer-term sustained management of Covid-19.
“We urge all countries to sustain collaborative surveillance of Covid-19, to detect changes in the virus, as well as trends in disease severity and immunity.
“Third, all countries should report Covid-19 day to WHO or in open sources, especially on death and severe disease, genetic sequences, and that on vaccine effectiveness.
“Fourth, all countries should continue to offer Covid-19 vaccination, especially for the most at-risk group, who are most likely to be hospitalised or die.
“Firth, all countries should continue to initiate, support, and collaborate on research to generate evidence for Covid-19 prevention and control.
“Sixth, all countries should deliver optimal clinical care for Covid-19, including access to proven treatments and measure to protect health workers and caregivers.
“Seventh, all counties should work towards ensuring equitable access to safe, effective, and quality-assured vaccines, tests, and treatments for Covid-19.”
On why the seven standing recommendations are important, the WHO DG explained, “We recognise that many people in government view Covid-19 as a thing of the past. So, why are these recommendations still important? For those who lost someone they love, for those who continue to be at risk of severe disease or death, and for those who continue to suffer from Covid-19 condition or long covid, for them, Covid-19 is still a daily threat.
“WHO will not forget about Covid-19, and nor can governments. Implementing these recommendations will not only help to protect against Covid-19, it will also help countries to prevent and respond to other diseases. We cannot predict the future. But we can prepare for the future.”
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