Geneva: The World Health Organisation (WHO) continues with its adamant stand that as per the International Health Regulations 2005 it declared Public Health Emergency of International Concern on January 30th 2020.
According to Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General, WHO, “World should have listened to WHO carefully. On January 30, we declared the highest level of global emergency on #COVID19 when there were only 82 cases outside of China and no death in the rest of the world. Every country could have triggered all its public health measures possible. That suffices the importance of listening to WHO’s advice.”
Speaking to a media professionals on April 27h, 2020 at the Global Online Media briefings, Dr Tedros, further elaborated, “Since January 30, WHO has been calling on countries to prepare to find, test, treat and isolate every #COVID19 patient and trace all contacts. Some, but not all, countries have followed WHO advice.”
Dr Tedros further added that, “WHO has no power or force to reinforce its advice, except the willingness of the countries to accept or reject. WHO will continue to give advice based on science & evidence & then it will be up to countries whether to take it or not.”
Speaking to Savio Rodrigues, GoaChronicle Founder & Editor-in-Chief, last week, Dr Tedros continues to walk the line that the WHO health organisation declared the highest level of Global Health Emergency on January 30th 2020. He said, “Looking back I think we declared the Emergency at the right time and when the world had enough time to respond, when the rest of the world had enough time to respond. I repeat again, there were only 82 cases and no deaths. That was enough to cut it at the bud, enough. That was January 30th and this was more than two months and 21 days ago, close to three months now,”
As on today, there over 3 million positive COVID-19 cases and over 211,000 death globally due to coronavirus.