"At the #UNGA here in New York, one of the most frequent questions I’m asked is, “Where do we stand? Is the pandemic over?”
At our media briefings over the past two weeks, I have said that pandemic is not over, but the end is in sight"-@DrTedros#COVID19
@DrTedros "Yes, we’re in a better position than we’ve ever been. The number of weekly #COVID19 deaths continues to decline, and are now just 10% of what they were at the peak in January 2021"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros "Two-thirds of the world’s population is vaccinated, including three-quarters of health workers and older people. In most countries, restrictions have ended and life looks much like it did before the #COVID19 pandemic"-@DrTedros
"But 10,000 deaths a week is 10,000 too many, when most of these deaths could be prevented"-@DrTedros#COVID19
@DrTedros "Although population-level immunity has increased, there are still large vaccination gaps, especially in low- and middle-income countries. And the virus is still spreading, and still changing, with the ever-present risk of more dangerous variants emerging"-@DrTedros#COVID19
@DrTedros "We have spent two-and-a-half years in a long, dark tunnel, and we are just beginning to glimpse the light at the end of that tunnel. But it is still a long way off, and the tunnel is still dark, with many obstacles that could trip us up if we don’t take care"-@DrTedros#COVID19
@DrTedros "We all need hope that we can – & we will – get to the end of the tunnel & put the pandemic behind us.
But we’re not there yet.
We’re still in the tunnel, & we will only get to the end by focusing on the path ahead, & by moving forward with purpose & care"-@DrTedros#COVID19
@DrTedros "The refrain of the #COVID19 pandemic has been that no one is safe until everyone is safe. That means everyone needs:
-to use, when needed, the simple tools that are available to stay safe: ↔️, 😷 & 🪟
-access to the medical tools to stay safe: 💉, tests & 💊"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros "That’s still not the case. Just 19% of the population of low-income countries is vaccinated, and access to life-saving treatments is virtually non-existent"-@DrTedros#COVID19
“So I welcome today’s announcement by the @GlobalFund that it has signed an agreement with Pfizer to facilitate access to the antiviral nirmatrelvir/ritonavir, or Paxlovid, for countries through the @ACTAccelerator”-@DrTedros#COVID19
“It’s overdue, but this is the kind of action that is needed if we are truly to end the #COVID19 pandemic”-@DrTedros
“Tomorrow I will join two meetings of world leaders here at the #UNGA – one hosted by 🇺🇸 @SecBlinken, and one by @UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres – to take stock of where we are, and foster stronger political support for equitable access to #COVID19 tools”-@DrTedros
“Now to #Uganda, where health authorities this week declared an outbreak of #Ebola disease. So far, there are seven confirmed cases and one confirmed death, while another seven deaths are being investigated as probable Ebola”-@DrTedros
“16 people with suspected #Ebola disease are receiving care, & contact tracing is ongoing. WHO’s experts are on the ground, working with #Uganda’s experienced Ebola control teams to reinforce diagnosis, treatment & preventive measures”-@DrTedros
“We are also delivering medical supplies to support the care of patients”-@DrTedros#Ebola#Uganda
“On #monkeypox, the number of weekly reported cases continues to decline. So far this year, more than 62,000 laboratory-confirmed cases have been reported to WHO from 105 countries and territories, with 23 deaths”-@DrTedros
“The trends are encouraging, but as with #COVID19, this is not the time for any country or community to assume those trends will continue. This is the time to keep doing what works”-@DrTedros
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⏱️ Every two seconds, one person under the age of 70 dies of a noncommunicable diseases - such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes & respiratory diseases.
Almost 9 in 10 of those deaths are taking place in low- & middle-income countries ncdportal.org
Along with #MentalHealth, noncommunicable diseases - such as cardiovascular diseases (heart disease and stroke), cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases - cause nearly three-quarters of deaths in the world killing 41 million people every year bit.ly/3BXE5mr
Noncommunicable diseases – such as heart disease, cancer, diabetes and chronic respiratory diseases - are one of the greatest health and development challenges of this century bit.ly/3BXE5mr
Addressing the needs of refugees & migrants with well-functioning, inclusive health services:
✅ protects the health of both migrants & host communities
✅ contributes to integration, social & economic development
Access to #antibiotics 💊 is essential to treat infections.
The 🆕 Global Evidence Review on Health and Migration highlights how refugees & migrants often face barriers 🚧 to access & use these potentially life-saving medicines:
Barriers 🚧 to access health services often lead to inappropriate use of #antibiotics, and ultimately to #AntimicrobialResistance, making infections harder to treat over time & increasing the risk of disease spread, severe illness & death.
Medications can save lives, however they can do harm when not taken properly.
Around 1 in 20 patients are affected by avoidable medication harm in medical care globally.
These 🆕 #COVID19 guidelines support clinicians and health decision-makers to make informed decisions when caring for patients with post COVID-19 condition.
Supporting every ill #COVID19 patient with a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team early is 🔑 to improve their health outcomes, & can incl.:
-Rehabilitation doctors
-Occupational therapists
-Physiotherapists
-Nurses
-Psychologists
-Speech therapists
@DrTedros "Last week, the number of weekly reported deaths from #COVID19 was the lowest since March 2020. We have never been in a better position to end the pandemic. We are not there yet, but the end is in sight"-@DrTedros
@DrTedros "A marathon runner does not stop when the finish line comes into view. She runs harder, with all the energy she has left. So must we. We can see the finish line. We’re in a winning position. But now is the worst time to stop running"-@DrTedros#COVID19