WHO / HEALTH EMERGENCIES

02-Jun-2023 00:06:04
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that “the continuing negotiations on the pandemic accord and amendments to the International Health Regulations are an unprecedented opportunity for us all to learn from the successes and failures of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.” WHO
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STORY: WHO / HEALTH EMERGENCIES
TRT: 6:04
SOURCE: WHO
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH / NATS

DATELINE: 02 JUNE 2023, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND / FILE
SHOTLIST
RECENT – GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

1. Wide shot, exterior, WHO Headquarters

02 JUNE 2023, GENEVA, SWITZERLAND

3. Wide shot, briefing room
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“The continuing negotiations on the pandemic accord and amendments to the International Health Regulations are an unprecedented opportunity for us all to learn from the successes and failures of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”
5. Wide shot, briefing room
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“There are several key points worth repeating to avoid misconceptions. First, this accord is a generational opportunity that we must seize. We are the generation that lived through the COVID-19 pandemic, so we must be the generation that learns the lessons it taught us, and makes the changes to keep future generations safer.”
7. Wide shot, briefing room
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“Second, the two processes are negotiated by Member States for Member States, and will – if enacted – be implemented in Member States in accordance with their own national laws. Third, all Member States will retain their own sovereignty to set their own domestic health policies.”
9. Wide shot, briefing room
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“The idea that this accord or the amended International Health Regulations will cede sovereignty to WHO is simply bogus and as I said it many times, “fake news”. WHO will not gain any power to override domestic policy decisions. Nor would we want to.”
11. Wide shot, briefing room
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“Some good news on the outbreaks of Marburg virus disease in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania. Today, Tanzania declared its outbreak over, 42 days after the last patient tested negative for the second time. The outbreak in Equatorial Guinea is also expected to be declared over next week, if no further cases are detected. WHO will continue to support both countries to strengthen their outbreak prevention and preparedness activities.”
13. Wide shot, briefing room
14. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“To the greater Horn of Africa, which faces a deepening hunger and health crisis. The region comprises 7 countries – Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda – and is already in the midst of the worst drought on record.”
15. Wide shot, briefing room
16. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“53 million people – 1 in 6 – are facing crisis levels of hunger. WHO and our partners are on the ground, ensuring access to basic health services; providing treatment to severely malnourished children; and helping countries detect, prevent and respond to disease outbreaks.”
17. Wide shot, briefing room
18. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“But a lack of resources is hindering our response. Under our Health Emergency Appeal for 2023, WHO is asking for 178 million U.S. dollars to enable us to deliver urgently needed, life-saving medical aid. We face critical funding gaps, and we urge donors to be generous.”
19. Wide shot, briefing room
20. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“In Sudan the situation has been compounded by violence. Fighting, which started on the 15th of April, is continuing for a seventh week. People are dying because they can’t access hospitals and receive the care they need.”
21. Wide shot, briefing room
22. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“Since the beginning of the conflict over 1.6 million people have been displaced, both internally and to neighbouring countries.”
23. Wide shot, briefing room
24. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“Health workers, supplies and facilities continue to be targeted. Since the fighting started, WHO has verified 46 attacks on health care leading to 8 deaths and 18 injuries. 16 of these attacks took place after the signing of the Jeddah declaration to protect civilians on the 11th of May. This is unacceptable.”
25. Wide shot, briefing room
26. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“Whether it's electronic cigarette or e-cigarette or vaping, it has to be regulated. We ask Member States to do their best to protect their citizens.”
27. Wide shot, briefing room
28. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“When the tobacco industry introduced electronic cigarettes and vaping, one narrative they tried to really sell is, is that this is part of harm reduction. It is not true. It actually is a trap.”
29. Wide shot, briefing room
30. SOUNDBITE (English) Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General, World Health Organization (WHO):
“Kids are being recruited at early age, 10, 11, 12 to do vaping and e-cigarettes because they think that it is cool because it comes in different colours, different flavours and so on. Then they get hooked for life. And most actually move into regular cigarette smoking.”
31. Wide shot, briefing room
STORYLINE
The Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said that “the continuing negotiations on the pandemic accord and amendments to the International Health Regulations are an unprecedented opportunity for us all to learn from the successes and failures of the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Briefing journalists in Geneva on Friday (2 June), WHO’s chief noted that there are several key points worth repeating to avoid misconceptions.

“First, this accord is a generational opportunity that we must seize. We are the generation that lived through the COVID-19 pandemic, so we must be the generation that learns the lessons it taught us, and makes the changes to keep future generations safer,” he explained.

Second, he continued, “the two processes are negotiated by Member States for Member States, and will – if enacted – be implemented in Member States in accordance with their own national laws.”

And third, “all Member States will retain their own sovereignty to set their own domestic health policies.”

“The idea that this accord or the amended International Health Regulations will cede sovereignty to WHO is simply bogus and as I said it many times, “fake news”. WHO will not gain any power to override domestic policy decisions. Nor would we want to,” said the Director-General.

Ghebreyesus also briefed on what he called “some good news” on the outbreaks of Marburg virus disease in Equatorial Guinea and Tanzania.

Today, he informed, Tanzania declared its outbreak over, 42 days after the last patient tested negative for the second time. The outbreak in Equatorial Guinea is also expected to be declared over next week, if no further cases are detected.

According to its chief, “WHO will continue to support both countries to strengthen their outbreak prevention and preparedness activities.”

Then, Ghebreyesus moved to the topic of the greater Horn of Africa, which faces a deepening hunger and health crisis. The region comprises 7 countries – Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Uganda – and is already in the midst of the worst drought on record.”

The Director-General said, “53 million people – 1 in 6 – are facing crisis levels of hunger. WHO and our partners are on the ground, ensuring access to basic health services; providing treatment to severely malnourished children; and helping countries detect, prevent and respond to disease outbreaks.”

He also warned that “a lack of resources is hindering our response” and, under WHO’s Health Emergency Appeal for 2023, the agency is asking for 178 million U.S. dollars to enable us to deliver urgently needed, life-saving medical aid.

“We face critical funding gaps, and we urge donors to be generous,” said Ghebreyesus.

In Sudan, he explained, “the situation has been compounded by violence” and “fighting, which started on the 15th of April, is continuing for a seventh week.”

According to the health agency’s chief, “people are dying because they can’t access hospitals and receive the care they need.”

Since the beginning of the conflict over 1.6 million people have been displaced, both internally and to neighbouring countries and health workers, supplies and facilities continue to be targeted.

Since the fighting started, WHO has verified 46 attacks on health care leading to 8 deaths and 18 injuries. 16 of these attacks took place after the signing of the Jeddah declaration to protect civilians on the 11th of May.

For Ghebreyesus, “this is unacceptable.”

The head of WHO also spoke about smoking, saying that “whether it's electronic cigarette or e-cigarette or vaping, it has to be regulated” and asking Member States “to do their best to protect their citizens.”

He added, “When the tobacco industry introduced electronic cigarettes and vaping, one narrative they tried to really sell is, is that this is part of harm reduction. It is not true. It actually is a trap.”

According to him, “kids are being recruited at early age, 10, 11, 12 to do vaping and e-cigarettes because they think that it is cool because it comes in different colours, different flavours and so on.”

“Then they get hooked for life. And most actually move into regular cigarette smoking,” concluded the agency’s chief.
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