Zimpapers Logo

GENEVA. – The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday launched its 2023 health emergency appeal for US$2,54 billion to provide assistance to millions of people around the world facing health emergencies.

 The number of people in need of humanitarian relief has increased by almost a quarter compared to 2022, to a record 339 million.

Currently, WHO is responding to an unprecedented number of intersecting health emergencies: climate change-related disasters such as flooding in Pakistan and food insecurity across the Sahel and in the greater Horn of Africa; the war in Ukraine; and the health impact of conflict in Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria and northern Ethiopia – all of these emergencies overlapping with the health system disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and outbreaks of measles, cholera, and other killers.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom pointed out that 2022 had been a challenging year, with the spread of diseases such as Covid-19, Mpox, Ebola and Cholera, in addition to other emergencies like floods and conflicts.

“We are hopeful that each of these emergencies will be declared over at different points next year.” 

The WHO chief said since the peak at the end of January, the number of weekly reported COVID-19 deaths has dropped almost 90 percent.

Tedros, however, asserted that there was still much to be done for the world to eradicate the health crises that have dogged it through the year. – CGTN.com