Thread by @WHO

"It’s a pleasure to welcome our friends from the Palais back to WHO.
The last time we hosted you, in July last year, none of us could have imagined that almost 18 months later, we would still be in the grip of the pandemic."-@DrTedros, media briefing for Geneva-based journalists

"More than 3.3 million people have lost their lives to #COVID19 this year – more deaths than from HIV, malaria and tuberculosis combined in 2020.
And still, COVID-19 continues to claim around 50,000 lives every week."-@DrTedros

"That’s not to mention the unreported deaths, and the millions of excess deaths caused by disruptions to essential health services."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1473232786463105031?s=20

"Africa is now facing a steep wave of infections, driven largely by the Omicron [#COVID19] variant.
Just a month ago, Africa was reporting its lowest number of cases in 18 months. Last week, it reported the fourth-highest number of cases in a single week so far."-@DrTedros

"There is now consistent evidence that Omicron is spreading significantly faster than the Delta variant.
And it is more likely that people who have been vaccinated or have recovered from #COVID19 could be infected or reinfected."-@DrTedros

"There can be no doubt that increased social mixing over the holiday period in many countries will lead to increased [#COVID19] cases, overwhelmed health systems and more deaths."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1473233565399855104?s=20

"All of us are sick of this pandemic. All of us want to spend time with friends and family, to get back to normal.
The fastest way to do that is for all of us – leaders & individuals – to make the difficult decisions that must be made to protect ourselves and other."-@DrTedros

"In some cases, that will mean cancelling or delaying events – just as we have had to cancel the reception we planned to have with you today."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1473234038601261060?s=20

"But an event cancelled is better than a life cancelled.

It’s better to cancel now & celebrate later, than to celebrate now & grieve later.
None of us want to be here again in 12 months’ time, talking about missed opportunities, continued inequity or new variants."
-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1473234340721135623

"If we are to end the [#COVID19] pandemic in the coming year, we must end inequity, by ensuring 70% of the population of every country is vaccinated by the middle of next year."-@DrTedros

"Last week, WHO issued Emergency Use Listing for a 9th vaccine, produced by the Serum Institute of India under license from Novavax.
This new vaccine is part of #COVAX portfolio & we hope that it'll play an important role in achieving our global vaccination targets."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/who/status/1473235694986399745

"As you know, #COVID19 is far from the only emergency to which WHO has responded this year."-@DrTedros

"In Afghanistan, Cox’s Bazaar, DRC, Ethiopia, Syria, Yemen and elsewhere, WHO is delivering humanitarian aid, supporting health systems, responding to outbreaks and doing everything we can to save lives."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1473236169370574850?s=20

"And around the world, WHO is working with countries to restore and sustain essential health services disrupted by the pandemic."-@DrTedros

"According to new data released this year, 23 million children missed out on routine vaccines in 2020, the largest number in over a decade – increasing risks from preventable diseases like measles and polio." -@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1473236467384262659?s=20

"However, 5 countries were able to introduce the human papillomavirus vaccine to prevent cervical #cancer, and a further 9 are planning to introduce it over the next 6 months."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1387295521753161729?s=20

"And in September, we launched a global road map to #DefeatMeningitis by 2030."-@DrTedros #meningitis

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1443137651507335171?s=20

"The pandemic has also caused setbacks in our efforts to defeat the world’s leading infectious diseases.
There were an estimated 14 million more #malaria cases and 47 thousand more malaria deaths in 2020 compared to 2019."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1467853922702446601?s=20

"However, WHO certified two countries – China and El Salvador – as #malaria-free this year, and a further 25 are on track to #EndMalaria transmission by 2025."-@DrTedros

"This year will also be remembered for WHO’s recommendation for broad use of the world’s first #malaria vaccine, which could save tens of thousands of children’s lives every year."-@DrTedros #EndMalaria

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1445783298756595721?s=20

"Services for noncommunicable diseases have also been hit hard.
More than half of countries surveyed between June and October this year reported disruptions to services for diabetes, cancer screening and treatment, and management of hypertension."-@DrTedros

"With 2021 marking the 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin,
WHO added long-acting insulin analogues and quality-assured biosimilars to the Essential Medicines List, paving the way for increased access and lower prices for these life-saving tools."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/who/status/1443961094645723146

"On tobacco use, we continue to see positive trends. Two years ago, only 32 countries were on track to lower tobacco use by 30% between 2010 and 2025. Now, 60 countries are on course to achieve the targeted reduction."-@DrTedros #CommitToQuit

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1460627436597563392?s=20

"On #AirPollution, we launched new Global Air Quality Guidelines in September, with clear evidence of the damage air pollution inflicts on human health, at even lower concentrations than previously known."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1440675315152392197?s=20

"Just last week, the Global Conference on #HealthPromotion endorsed the Geneva Charter for Well-Being, outlining key areas of action for driving a paradigm shift in disease prevention & health promotion that, if implemented, could reduce premature mortality by 50%."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/who/status/1468554196978999304

"And to mark International Migrants Day on Saturday, WHO has launched new standards to support countries to provide better health services to refugees and migrants."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1471458515227398149?s=20

"We have also taken several important steps this year to strengthen the global health architecture, and WHO.
We launched the WHO Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence in Berlin;
We broke ground on the WHO Academy in Lyon;
We established the WHO BioHub System"-@DrTedros

"Our #OpenWHO online learning platform has now registered 6 million enrolments, for courses on #COVID19 and many other health topics, in 60 languages"-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1463390516591087617?s=20

"Earlier this month, our Member States agreed to negotiate a convention, agreement or other international instrument on pandemic preparedness and response"-@DrTedros #PandemicTreaty

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1465993055908024321?s=20

"And just last week, Member States also discussed options for improving the sustainability and predictability of WHO’s funding."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1471901312346427397?s=20

"We have also taken decisive steps to address instances of sexual exploitation and abuse, and to make sure that our people meet the high standards that we, and our Member States, expect of them."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/DrTedros/status/1442947950687100929?s=20

"2022 must be the year we end the [#COVID19] pandemic."-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/WHO/status/1472955653677146117?s=20

"But it must also be the year that all countries invest in preventing future disaster on this scale & in accelerating efforts to achieve the @GlobalGoalsUN.
That means investing in resilient health systems, built on primary health care, with #HealthForAll as the goal"-@DrTedros

https://twitter.com/who/status/1473248753918300160

"Even before the pandemic, one billion people were spending more than 10% of their household budget on health care.
When people can’t access the services they need, or can’t afford them, individuals, families, communities and entire societies are put at risk."-@DrTedros

"In the year ahead, WHO is committed to doing everything in our power to end the [#COVID19] pandemic, and to beginning a new era in global health – an era in which health is at the centre of every country’s development plans."-@DrTedros

🙏🏽 "Let me end with some thanks.
I thank the health workers all over the world who continue to put themselves in harm’s way to serve and save others."-@DrTedros

🙏🏽 "I thank the scientists, researchers and public health experts who continue to develop new tools against this virus [causing #COVID19], and to study it."-@DrTedros

🙏🏽 "I thank you, our friends in the media, for the role you play in covering WHO, helping to get our messages out, and in holding us accountable.
We very much appreciate those of you who have worked to cover WHO and the pandemic fairly & accurately."-@DrTedros

🙏🏽 "Finally, I thank WHO’s staff all over the world, who have continued to work in ways most people don’t see, to promote health, keep the world safe, and serve the vulnerable.
I thank you."-@DrTedros

@DrTedros Full text of @DrTedros opening remarks at the media briefing for Geneva-based journalists, 20.12.2021 bit.ly/3pgarSR

Watch @DrTedros delivering his opening remarks at the media briefing for Geneva-based journalists, 20.12.2021 [recorded]