DUBAI: The ongoing World Governments Summit (WGS) in Dubai is positioning itself as a global platform tackling critical health issues. On day one, World Health Organisation Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus delivered a stark message: “The world remains unprepared for the next pandemic.”
He echoed his own warning from six years ago, on February 12th, 2018, when he stood at the WGS and declared the world’s vulnerabilities. Tragically, his words proved prophetic two years later with the arrival of COVID-19, claiming millions of lives and leaving a devastating impact on nations.
Recognising this, WHO member states convened in Geneva in December 2021 to forge an international agreement on pandemic preparedness. This agreement aims to prevent the repetition of COVID-19’s tragic consequences and is expected to be finalized by the next World Health Assembly.
With this objective in mind, the World Governments Summit 2024 will conclude on 14 February with a panel entitled ‘Shaping a safer future: an intern
ational legal framework for pandemic prevention preparedness and response’, in which experts from the World Health Organisation and other global institutions will speak.
Since its inception 70 years ago, the World Health Organization, which has 194 member states, has aimed to improve health worldwide, regardless of race, religion, political opinion or economic and social status.
In 2015, WHO established a global logistics hub in Dubai, which has become an essential part of the organisation’s emergency response operations around the world.
Last year, WHO distributed medical aid to more than 50 million people in emergencies in 81 countries last year, reaching every region of the world”.
Last January, the organisation launched an appeal to raise $1.5 billion to protect the health of the most vulnerable populations in 41 emergencies around the world by 2024.
The appeal seeks to respond to emergencies globally, with the aim of reaching more than 87 million people worldwide who are suffering. Emergencies cover
complex situations such as conflict, climate catastrophes, economic instability, displacement of people, hunger and inequality.
Abdul Rahman bin Mohammad bin Nasser Al Owais, Minister of Health and Prevention, is scheduled to participate in the panel Paving the way for the future of Urban Health, which will take place on the last day of the summit. There will also be another panel called ‘Urban Health: Challenges, opportunities and solutions, where different experts from around the world will participate; a session dedicated to ‘Navigating Urban Health Frontiers and another called ‘Integrating Nature and Innovative Design for Urban Health. The day will also include a session dedicated to cancer detection
Source: Emirates News Agency