Even as the coronavirus pandemic continues to affect the everyday lives of the world’s population, the war in Ukraine has pushed health concerns out of the headlines in recent months. The WHO is now addressing both issues in its annual conference – WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for peace in the run-up – after all, this is a basic health requirement.
War, hunger and disease are friends, Tedros told representatives of the 194 member states of the UN agency in Geneva on Sunday. “The foundations of stable societies are shaken and destroyed by war even more than by pandemics,” he said.
Diseases are often the result of conflict
Illnesses, lack of health care and psychological wounds are often the consequences of conflict. Tedros, who is expected to be re-elected as WHO director-general on Tuesday, pointed out that gun violence affects not only people in Ukraine, but also Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and its conflict-torn home country of Ethiopia. . “I am a war child,” the visibly moved Tedros described his traumatic experiences.
Drug “Peace” not to be prescribed
“The one medicine most needed is something the WHO cannot provide: peace,” Tedros said, after some leaders also emphasized in their speeches that global security and health go hand in hand. However, they also noted that the war in Ukraine was not the only crisis of concern to the WHO.
Beijing blocks search for origin of corona
Meanwhile, French President Emmanuel Macron and other politicians have called for efforts to prepare health systems and the pharmaceutical sector for future pandemics. Federal Health Minister Karl Lauterbach will deliver a speech in Geneva on Monday.
However, the most controversial topics will not be on the agenda of the WHO conference in the coming days: a possible legally binding treaty on pandemic preparedness and the search for the origin of the coronavirus in China, which has been blocked by Beijing.
Source: Krone
I’m Wayne Wickman, a professional journalist and author for Today Times Live. My specialty is covering global news and current events, offering readers a unique perspective on the world’s most pressing issues. I’m passionate about storytelling and helping people stay informed on the goings-on of our planet.
