WHO warns of gaps in global defence against virus

The World Health Organisation (WHO) says there are many gaps in the world’s defences against the COVID-19 pandemic, saying no single country has everything in place for its response plan.

Its Director-General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, made the observation yesterday, during a media briefing on COVID-19 in Geneva.

“We still see many gaps around the world. Only 66 per cent of countries have a clinical referral system in place to care for COVID-19 patients, while only 48 per cent have a community engagement plan.

“And only 48 per cent have an infection prevention and control programme and standards for water, sanitation and hygiene in health facilities,” Ghebreyesus said.

He said WHO would continue working with countries and the international community to close these gaps and build sustainable capacities for now and the future.

Globally, Ghebreyesus, said that almost 2.5 million cases of COVID-19 had been reported to WHO, and more than 160,000 deaths recorded.

Ghebreyesus warned against complacency in countries that were making progress against the pandemic.

Ghebreyesus emphasised that complacency was “one of the greatest dangers’’ we face now.

“There is no question that stay-at-home orders and other physical distancing measures have successfully suppressed transmission in many countries.

“But this virus remains extremely dangerous, and the evidence is that most of the world’s populations remains susceptible, that means the epidemic can easily reignite.

“One of the greatest dangers we face now is complacency,’’ he said.

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He acknowledged the suffering and frustration of people confined to their homes for weeks by stay-at-home orders imposed by their governments to check the spread of the virus.

The WHO, he said, understood the hardships occasioned by such orders and the people’s desires to get on with their lives.

“But the world will not and cannot go back to the way things were. There must be a new norm: a world that is healthier safer and better prepared.”