Geneva, May 20 (RHC)-- The World Health Organization is warning people in dozens of countries are going without needed medical care due to global funding cuts.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "In at least 70 countries, patients are missing out on treatments, health facilities have closed, health workers have lost their jobs, and people face increased out-of-pocket health spending.”
Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned his agency is facing a $600 million gap in its annual budget, with more steep cuts ahead as the U.S. withdraws support for global health programs and prepares to exit the organization.
Separately, the WHO voted in favor of a major new global treaty to improve pandemic preparedness and vaccine access. The U.S. was not part of those talks, since it decided to withdraw from the WHO. Parts of the treaty still need to be agreed upon before it can be ratified.
After three years of negotiations, the legally binding pact was adopted by the World Health Assembly in Geneva on Tuesday. The accord aims to prevent a repeat of the disjointed response and international disarray that surrounded the COVID-19 pandemic by improving coordination, surveillance and access to medicines during any future pandemics.
The agreement aims to better detect and combat pandemics by focusing on greater international coordination and surveillance and more equitable access to vaccines and treatments. The negotiations grew tense amid disagreements between wealthy and developing countries with the latter feeling cut off from access to vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Dr Esperance Luvindao, Namibia’s health minister and chairwoman of a committee that paved the way for the agreement’s adoption, said COVID-19 inflicted huge costs “on lives, livelihoods and economies.”
“We, as sovereign states, have resolved to join hands as one world together, so we can protect our children, elders, front-line health workers and all others from the next pandemic,” Luvindao added. “It is our duty and responsibility to humanity.”
[ SOURCE: DEMOCRACY NOW ]
