COVID-19 pandemic not last, world must be prepared for the next: WHO chief

Washington, Sep 08: World Health Organisation (WHO) chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has warned that the coronavirus is not the last pandemic and the world must be better prepared for the next. He also said that countries must invest in public health to tackle the next pandemic in a better manner.

Speaking a press conference, Tedros said,"This will not be the last pandemic. History teaches us that outbreaks and pandemics are a fact of life. But when the next pandemic comes, the world must be ready - more ready than it was this time."

"Tomorrow, the review committee of the International Health Regulations will begin its work. The International Health Regulation is the most important legal instrument in global health security. As a reminder, the review committee will evaluate the functioning of the IHR during the pandemic so far and recommend any changes it believes are necessary," Tedros said during the press briefing on Monday.

"It will review the convening of the Emergency Committee, the declaration of a public health emergency of international concern, the role and functioning of international IHR focal points, and will examine the progress made in implementing the recommendations of previous International Health Regulation review committees," Tedros added.

More than 27.19 million people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus globally and 888,326? have died, according to a Reuters tally, since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.