At a session of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization in Geneva, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus considered that there is a relevant opportunity in the fight against the coronavirus, which has China as its epicenter.
The Ethiopian asks that this “window of opportunity”, with the strong preventive measures taken by China, do not be “wasted”.
In the same session, the person in charge also criticized the stance taken by the most developed countries, considering that they have had significant delays in sharing information on cases of contamination by the new coronavirus.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for greater international solidarity in combating the viral pneumonia epidemic.
“Of the 176 cases reported so far outside China, the World Health Organization (WHO) has received complete notification forms for only 38 percent of cases. Some rich countries are taking a long time to share this vital data with WHO. I don’t think it’s because of a lack of capabilities ”, he stressed.
Adhanom Ghebreyesus also reiterated the call left in recent days for countries do not impose restrictions on travel and trade. These restrictions, he warns, can have the effect of “increasing fear and stigma, without significantly improving public health”.
“In countries where these measures have been applied, we ask that they be short-lived and proportionate to the risks to public health, and that they are regularly reviewed taking into account the evolution of the situation”, appealed.
–
The director-general of WHO also said that he has already contacted all ministers of health, asking that data sharing be improved immediately.
To counter the spread of the virus, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said this Tuesday that the WHO will send masks, gloves and 18,000 protective clothing to a total of 24 countries. They will also be sent 250,000 virus detection kits, in order to allow a faster diagnosis.
The World Health Organization will also send a team of international experts to help China deal with the new coronavirus.
So far, in the official accounting since December 2019, the new coronavirus has already claimed 425 lives and there are more than 20,400 cases of contamination.
Last week, WHO declared a global Public Health emergency. The numbers already exceed, at this point, those recorded during the SARS epidemic, between 2002 and 2003.
Some countries like the United States, Australia, Russia, Japan and Pakistan are preventing travelers from China or who have been in Chinese territory in the past two weeks.
In the case of the United States, as with other European countries, when it comes to national citizens, travelers are placed in quarantine during the virus incubation period (14 days).
Last Friday, WHO warned that restrictions could be more harmful than beneficial, preventing information sharing, damaging the economy and interfering with the medical material sharing chain.
Earlier this week, the Chinese government even accused the United States of generating “panic” in response to the outbreak of the new coronavirus.
“The US government has not provided us with any significant assistance. The only thing it did was to generate and spread fear, setting a bad example, ”said Government spokesman Hua Chunying.
(with international agencies)
– .
Related
