Thread by @WHO

Live from #EB147. #COVID19 pscp.tv/w/cZZKfTI2MTAy…

"I’d like to thank Dr Nakatani for his service as chair of the board over the past year. Dr Nakatani, you are a true friend to WHO and a true servant of public health"-@DrTedros #EB147

"I’d like to congratulate and welcome @drharshvardhan on his election as the new chair. Dr Harsh Vardhan, you have a tough act to follow but I’m sure you will do it with the same energy and commitment as Dr Nakatani"-@DrTedros #EB147

"As you know, this week we concluded an unusual but very important #WHA73.

Member States came together to pass a historic resolution on our collective response to #COVID19"-@DrTedros #EB147

"Today I’d like to take just a few minutes to summarize very briefly WHO’s work on #COVID19 in seven areas:
-leadership
-analysis
-communication
-supplies
-expertise
-research
-preparedness"-@DrTedros #EB147

"1⃣ Leadership.
Since the beginning of the #COVID19 pandemic, WHO has worked day & night to coordinate the global response at all 3 levels of the Org, providing technical advice, catalyzing political solidarity, mobilizing resources, coordinating logistics"-@DrTedros #EB147

"In early February, WHO published our Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan, giving countries specific and concrete measures to prevent, detect and respond to transmission of #COVID19"-@DrTedros #EB147

"We updated the plan earlier this month, with an estimate that WHO will require USD 1.7B to fund our response to #COVID19 this year.

So far, almost 800 million U.S. dollars has been pledged or received, leaving a gap of just over 900 million dollars"-@DrTedros #EB147

"With the @unfoundation and the Swiss Philanthropy Foundation, we launched the #COVID19 Solidarity Response Fund, which has so far raised more than 214 million dollars from more than 375,000 individuals, corporations and foundations"-@DrTedros #EB147 bit.ly/COVID19Donate

"2⃣ Analysis.

Throughout the #COVID19 pandemic we have monitored, analysed and assessed trends and provided advice at the global, regional and country level"-@DrTedros #EB147

"3⃣ Communication.

We've:
-developed risk communications tools for parents & children, #healthworkers, employers, faith-based organizations
-held 50+ press briefings
-convened weekly Member State briefings to create a platform for countries to share experiences"-@DrTedros #EB147

"To fight the #COVID19 infodemic, we’ve worked with multiple tech partners, including @Facebook, @Google, @instagram, @LinkedIn, @messenger, @Pinterest, @Snapchat, @TencentGlobal, @tiktok_uk/@tiktok_us, @Twitter, @Viber, @WhatsApp, @YouTube and more"-@DrTedros #EB147

"4⃣ Supplies.

WHO has shipped millions of diagnostic tests and tons of personal protective equipment to more than 120 countries, and we will ship much more in the weeks ahead"-@DrTedros #EB147

"In Africa, WHO and the @AfricaCDC worked together to expand testing capacity for #COVID19 from just two countries to 44"-@DrTedros #EB147

"5⃣ expertise.

We published our first comprehensive package of guidance for #COVID19 on the 10th of Jan & since then we have issued almost 100 technical documents.
We have constantly updated and adapted that guidance to make it applicable in the local context"-@DrTedros #EB147

"We’ve also provided online training for more than 2.6 million #healthworkers, with 10 courses in 25 languages through our OpenWHO.org training platform"-@DrTedros #EB147

"6⃣ Research.

In early Feb, WHO convened 400+ researchers from around the 🌍 to identify R&D priorities.
We’re tracking 700+ clinical trials globally & in March we launched the Solidarity Trial, to generate data quickly about which treatments were the most effective"-@DrTedros

"Last month, WHO joined forces with President @EmmanuelMacron, President @vonderleyen and @melindagates to launch the Access to #COVID19 Tools Accelerator, to scale up the production, distribution & equitable access to vaccines, diagnostics & therapeutics"-@DrTedros #EB147

"Ten days later, the @EU_Commission hosted a historic pledging event at which world leaders from more than 40 countries pledged 8 billion U.S. dollars for research into these life-saving tools"-@DrTedros #COVID19 #EB147

The WHO Executive Board #EB147 has elected @drharshvardhan, #India🇮🇳 Minister for Health & Family Welfare, as the Chairperson of the Board bit.ly/2XmXBDc

"7⃣ preparedness.

Since the first #COVID19 cases were reported, we’ve worked night and day to prepare countries to prevent, detect and respond rapidly to the arrival of cases"-@DrTedros #EB147

"In collaboration with the @IMOHQ, @IATA and the @icao, we’ve developed technical guidance for ports, airports and ground crossings"-@DrTedros #COVID19 #EB147

"We’ve also established the #COVID19 Partners Platform, to match country needs with resources. So far, 125+ countries are actively using the platform, and 50 donors have entered their contributions"-@DrTedros #EB147

"WHO has been extremely active, and we will continue to do everything in our power to support countries, suppress transmission and save lives. #COVID19

At the same time, we’re working to ensure our other work continues as much as possible"-@DrTedros #EB147

"The 🌍 was already off-track for the “triple billion” targets & the @GlobalGoalsUN & there is no question that the #COVID19 pandemic threatens to set us back even further.

That makes our task even bigger & we must all redouble our efforts as a global community"-@DrTedros #EB147

The full speech by @DrTedros at the #EB147 👉
bit.ly/3bVXu70

The WHO Executive Board #EB147 agreed that the next World Health Assembly #WHA74 will be held 24 May-1 June 2021

The WHO Executive Board #EB147 agreed that the next Board meeting #EB148 will be held 18-26 January 2021