Thread by @kakape

“In many ways, women have suffered disproportionately from the pandemic”, says @DrTedros at @WHO #covid19 presser on #InternationalWomensDay. "We have seen appalling increases in violence against women and reduced access to services for sexual and reproductive health."

@DrTedros @WHO “In relative terms, employment losses have been higher for women than for men”, sas @DrTedros. "Women have also borne an additional and disproportionate burden of care for children and older people.
But women have also been at the forefront of the response."

@DrTedros @WHO "About 70% of all health workers globally are women and they have played a key role in delivering care and saving lives”, says @DrTedros. “But although they make up the majority of the global health workforce, women only hold 25% of leadership roles in health."

@DrTedros @WHO “Our research shows that 85% of national #COVID19 task forces have majority male membership”, says @RoopaDhatt. Despite their extraordinary work, women don't have equal seat at the decision-making table, she says. “As a result, we have all lost out on their talent and expertise.”

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt “Like many health workers I've also felt furious that well-resourced countries were not ready for this pandemic even though it was not unexpected”, says @RoopaDhatt. “I've also felt angry that my sickest patients are often disproportionately black or Latinas and this is not new."

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt Outstanding speech from @RoopaDhatt that I won’t be able to transcribe in full here. She ends with 4 points:
1. "First, in this pandemic and in normal times, women are the social shock absorbers in a crisis, in families, communities and societies."

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt 2. “When women are marginalized in leadership, decisions are made that ignore the realities of women's lives and cause lasting harms and death.”
One example: "It is simply an insult that PPE is designed for men and the poor fit leaves women more exposed to infection."

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt 3. “Women leaders have been decisive, focused on the evidence and communicated more honestly with their citizens. I would contrast that with the war analogies and denials heard from many men in power”, says @RoopaDhatt.

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt 4. “We cannot face something as critical as global health security on the unpaid and underpaid work of women”, says @RoopaDhatt. “Women in the healthcare sector are clustered into lower status, lower paid jobs, frequently subject to violence and harassment."

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt Sarah Gilbert and Özlem Türeci also made some good points will have to add this at the end. On to Q&A now.

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt First question goes to another incredible woman, @HelenBranswell, who asks for an #Ebola update and whether there is a shortage of #Ebola vaccine in Guinea.
There is no supply issue in, says Soce Fall. Neighboring countries will start vaccinating healthcare workers next week.

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt @HelenBranswell On #Ebola numbers:
DRC still at 11 cases in 4 health zones.
Guinea at 18 cases (including 4 probable cases).

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt @HelenBranswell Q: Do you think if you'd used the term pandemic sooner, it would have made any difference?
@mvankerkhove points to #PHEIC declared on 30 January. "That was our highest level of alarm."

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt @HelenBranswell @mvankerkhove "If you're in a valley and a dam bursts you know you’re at risk and you take action”, says @DrMikeRyan. “Too many countries thought they were standing on a mountaintop watching the waters rise to consume others. What everyone didn't realize was the waters rose to consume them."

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt @HelenBranswell @mvankerkhove @DrMikeRyan All member states of @WHO agreed in International Health Regulations that declaration of #PHEIC "would represent the trigger for collective action," says @DrMikeRyan.
“Maybe we need to shout louder, but maybe some people need hearing aids."

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt @HelenBranswell @mvankerkhove @DrMikeRyan Q about reported disruption of vaccine distribution in Myanmar
“If vaccines are not being delivered on time and as planned this precious resource that is now being deployed across countries that previously had not had access to vaccines is … going to waste”, says @Kate_L_OBrien.

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt @HelenBranswell @mvankerkhove @DrMikeRyan @Kate_L_OBrien “Are we going to continue to allow health services to be undermined, interrupted, and often attacked n the middle of what are political or military conflicts, where the only people that suffer are civilians?”, asks @DrMikeRyan. "This is not just an issue for Myanmar.”

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt @HelenBranswell @mvankerkhove @DrMikeRyan @Kate_L_OBrien Q about vaccine certificates.
For now, "the use of certification of vaccination as a requirement for travel is not advised because, quite simply vaccination is just not available enough around the world and is not available certainly on an equitable basis”, says @DrMikeRyan.

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt @HelenBranswell @mvankerkhove @DrMikeRyan @Kate_L_OBrien WHO is working on electronic vaccination certificates because they allow faster, more accurate link of people with vaccines they received helping both to a assess safety but also judging what other vaccines someone still needs, says @Kate_L_OBrien.

@DrTedros @WHO @RoopaDhatt @HelenBranswell @mvankerkhove @DrMikeRyan @Kate_L_OBrien Q about situation in Mexico.
Virus circulation"is still quite high in Mexico but the trends are reducing”, says @mvankerkhove. “We do see reductions also in mortality in Mexico, and globally for the sixth consecutive week we've seen a decline in deaths across the world."