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Tag: Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus

  • COP29: WHO director-general urges global readiness to tackle health threats

    COP29: WHO director-general urges global readiness to tackle health threats

    The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Tuesday urged countries to take proactive measures to prevent the recurrence of pandemics and the spread of new viruses.

    Addressing leaders, scientists, and health advocates at the COP29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, Ghebreyesus said analysis and predictions regarding the probability of recurrence of pandemics and new viruses will play a pivotal role in the coming years,

    “Several measures are already being implemented in response,” he noted, adding that preventing the recurrence of such incidents is possible only if the countries take necessary preparatory measures in advance and act cautiously.
    Dr. Tedros also emphasized the intersection of climate change and public health, speaking on to the urgent need for ongoing monitoring and preventive action to protect communities from future emergencies. “It is vital to be prepared to prevent threats and minimize their consequences. At the same time, each of us must realize our responsibility,” he added.

    Health impacts of extreme weather and pollution
    In his address, Dr. Tedros challenged attendees by asking: “Why does climate change matter? Why should we care about rising temperatures, sea levels, and extreme weather events? We care because, ultimately, climate change is about human health.”

    Rising sea levels, extreme weather events, and air pollution, Dr. Tedros explained, are not merely environmental threats— but direct drivers of illness and premature death. Quoting Spanish President Pedro Sanchez, he said, “We care about rising sea levels and temperatures because they take land and homes, make our planet less habitable, contribute to cardiovascular disease, and fuel the spread of communicable diseases to new places.”

    “We care about extreme weather events because they claim lives, devastate livelihoods, and destroy infrastructure. We care about air pollution because it fills our lungs with poison. That’s why we say climate crisis a health crisis. This crisis is not sometime in the future—It’s right here and now, affecting us all,” Dr. Tedros added.

    Vulnerable populations bear the heaviest burden
    The WHO chief warned that the impacts of climate change are already being felt, with vulnerable populations, especially women and children, bearing the heaviest burdens. “Air pollution alone is responsible for seven million premature deaths each year,” Dr. Tedros revealed, adding that it’s a leading cause of under-five mortality.

    “Rising temperatures are expanding the reach of infectious diseases like malaria, and last year, people faced a record 50 additional days of health-threatening heat.”

    The statistics paint a grim picture. Over 20 million people were displaced by weather-related disasters last year, and the situation may worsen. By 2050, climate change is projected to push up to 158 million more women and girls into extreme poverty, outnumbering men and boys by 16 million in this vulnerable group.

    Climate action is self-preservation
    “Climate action is self-preservation; climate inaction is self-sabotage,” Dr. Tedros urged, emphasizing the urgency of climate action for the sake of children and future generations.

    He highlighted a WHO report released at COP29, which estimates that 1.9 million premature deaths could be prevented through five evidence-based interventions: early warning systems for extreme heat, solar-powered health facilities, improved water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), cleaner household energy, and updated fiscal policies on fossil fuel subsidies.

    Protecting People, Places, and the Planet
    According to Dr. Tedros, protecting people, places, and the planet is key. Protecting people means prioritizing equity and human rights while building climate-resilient health systems, he explained.

    He outlined WHO’s approach to addressing the climate health crisis through the Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health (ATACH), which unites 90 countries and over 70 partners to drive national-level progress on health and climate resilience.
    Dr. Tedros also highlighted the importance of making cities healthier places to live, with cleaner energy, zero-emissions transportation, and sustainable infrastructure. “We need cities and communities that nurture health rather than harm it,” he stated.
    Finally, protecting the planet will require overhauling financial systems to reduce reliance on fossil fuel extraction and promote well-being for all, he argued, stressing that governance must prioritize the needs of the most affected communities.

    “There is no stronger argument for climate action than health,” Dr. Tedros concluded. “And there is no stronger motivation than the health of our children.”

  • Global surge in synthetic opioid, psychoactive drug use demands urgent health action – WHO

    Global surge in synthetic opioid, psychoactive drug use demands urgent health action – WHO

    Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), has called for immediate global action to address the escalating crisis of synthetic opioid and psychoactive drug use.

    Speaking at the COP29 UN Climate Conference in Baku, Republic of Azerbaijan, Ghebreyesus shared a clip via his X handle, emphasizing the critical public health toll of this crisis.

    He warned, “No country is immune,” urging world leaders to prioritize the public health impacts of non-medical drug use, both legal and illegal.

    He highlighted that drug use disorders are wreaking havoc on public health systems globally. “We are facing a mounting crisis,” he noted, revealing that approximately 64 million people are affected by drug use disorders, with synthetic opioids and psychoactive drugs at the forefront.

    This epidemic is responsible for an estimated 600,000 deaths each year.

    He stressed the necessity of addressing public health impacts across all drug types, adding, “We cannot address the drug problem without addressing the public health impacts of the non-medical use of both legal and illegal drugs.”

    Synthetic opioids are man-made drugs mimicking natural opioids, often more potent and addictive, like fentanyl. Psychoactive drugs alter brain function, affecting mood and perception, including substances like alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine.

    WHO’s four-pillar strategy for tackling the drug crisis
    In outlining WHO’s strategic roadmap, Ghebreyesus presented four critical priorities designed to mitigate the global drug crisis:

    “First, prevention, treatment, and harm reduction services must be scaled up by expanding access to cost-effective evidence-based treatment and harm reduction services.”

    “Second, surveillance and early warning systems must be improved to monitor emerging drug trends so public health agencies can respond swiftly and tailor interventions to evolving risks.”

    “Third, we must address stigma and discrimination, including at the institutional level, so that people who use drugs can access the care they need safely.”

    “Fourth, even as we try to prevent harm from drug youth, we must ensure safe and timely access to controlled medicines for those in need.

    We can strike a balance between policies that protect people from the harms of drug use while enabling access to treatment and care for those in need.” He added.

    Ghebreyesus reaffirmed WHO’s commitment, saying, “We remain committed, working with the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) , member states, civil society, and other partners to find solutions that protect health, are evidence-based, and grounded in human rights.

  • WHO secures $1.7bn in first investment round, targets saving 40m lives

    WHO secures $1.7bn in first investment round, targets saving 40m lives

    The World Health Organization (WHO) has secured $1.7 billion in pledges during its inaugural Investment Round, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced today at a media briefing.

    These funds are part of a broader effort to implement WHO’s global strategy to safeguard health and save 40 million lives over the next four years.

    Dr. Tedros highlighted that 70 pledges were received, including contributions from 39 first-time donors, with 21 of them from middle-income countries. Notably, some of the world’s poorest nations also made contributions, underscoring the trust in WHO’s work on the ground.
    When countries contribute, even those with limited resources, it demonstrates the difference WHO is making globally,” Dr. Tedros said.

    $3.8bn secured for WHO’s budget
    Combined with other funding agreements and partnerships, WHO now has $3.8 billion committed, representing 53% of the voluntary contributions required for the next four years.
    Dr. Tedros emphasized that this funding would provide WHO with greater predictability and flexibility, allowing it to respond more rapidly to evolving global health threats.
    “I thank all countries and partners who have contributed. This marks a significant step forward, as for decades only a small portion of WHO’s total budget was predictable,” Dr. Tedros added.

    The funding is expected to strengthen WHO’s capacity to address global health challenges effectively and help build a safer, healthier world.
    Earlier, at the G20 Leaders’ Summit in Rio de Janeiro, chaired by Brazil’s President H.E. Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, Australia, Indonesia, Spain, and the United Kingdom emerged as some of the top contributors. They pledged $410 million, $300 million, $620 million, and $392 million, respectively.
    World AIDS Day 2024: Rights at the core of HIV response
    Speaking further during the briefing, Dr. Tedros also highlighted World AIDS Day 2024, themed “Take the Rights Path,” saying it reminded us of the critical importance of human rights in the response to HIV.
    According to him, Since the first World AIDS Day in 1988, we have come a long way in expanding access to prevention, diagnosis and treatment for HIV.
    But these gains are at real risk, and reductions in new infections and deaths have stalled.
    Persistent gaps in HIV response
    “While nearly 30 million people are now on antiretroviral treatment, another 9 million need treatment and are not getting it and more than half of those, nearly 5 million, are still unaware that they are living with HIV,” he noted

    Dr. Tedros emphasized that many of these gaps are among key populations who are marginalized, criminalized or discriminated against: men who have sex with men, people who inject drugs, transgender people, sex workers and prisoners.

    “The most effective way to close these gaps and reach these populations is by recognizing and respecting their human rights.”

    “Together this World AIDS Day, let’s take the right path – let’s take the rights path,” he advised.