EU Chief suggests reforming WHO to better respond to future pandemics

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
20 May 2023 19:24

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during the G7 summit in Hiroshima, Japan, suggests that the World Health Organization undergoes reforms in order to strengthen "global coordination" in the face of potential future pandemics.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen attends an event on global infrastructure and investment during the G7 Summit in Hiroshima, Japan, Saturday, May 20, 2023 (AP)

To better respond to future pandemics and other global health crises, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen suggested, on Saturday, that the World Health Organization should be reformed.

The President said "We must strengthen the global health architecture," stressing that "we need stronger global coordination in preventing, preparing and responding to future pandemics."

Moreover, von der Leyen argued that "the World Health Organization deserves a reform, with the resources to fulfill its leading role as the global health's nerve center."

In Japan's Hiroshima, the head of the EU urged G7 panel members to draw lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and collaborate with the G20 group of industrialized nations to ensure that funds can be allocated more quickly and effectively in the event of another global disaster.

She suggested boosting regional capacities for vaccine production in order to establish manufacturing centers.

This included assisting them with staff training, infrastructure development, and community involvement initiatives.

WHO: COVID-19 no longer an International Public Health Emergency

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director general of the WHO announced, on May 5 that the organization no longer considers COVID-19 a global health emergency.

"Yesterday, the Emergency Committee met for the 15th time and recommended to me that I declare an end to the public health emergency of international concern. I have accepted that advice. It is therefore with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency," Ghebreyesus said.

The official, however, noted that the virus still poses a threat to the health of the human population. He also recognized that while COVID-19 remains to circulate and continues to evolve, it will no longer be an unusual event and have the same deadly effect it had over the past few years after the large-scale campaigns of vaccination.

"Almost 7 million deaths have been reported to WHO, but we know the toll is several times higher – at least 20 million."