2023 was a yr of milestones and challenges in international public well being.
In Could, I declared an finish to COVID-19 as a public well being emergency of worldwide concern.
This marked a turning level for the world following three years of disaster, ache and loss for folks all over the place.
I’m glad to see that life has returned to regular.
WHO additionally introduced the M-POX outbreak now not represented a world well being emergency.
And we permitted new vaccines for malaria, dengue and meningitis, illnesses that threaten hundreds of thousands around the globe, primarily probably the most weak.
Azerbaijan, Tajikistan and Belize had been declared malaria free, and a spread of uncared for tropical illnesses had been eradicated in a number of international locations, together with sleeping illness in Ghana, trachoma in Benin, Mali and Iraq, and lymphatic filariasis in Bangladesh and Lao.
The trail to eradicating one other vaccine-preventable illness – polio – has reached its final mile.
Thirty extra international locations launched the HPV vaccine because the world advances towards eliminating cervical most cancers.
The necessity to handle the well being impacts of the local weather disaster had been elevated to the best political ranges, with governments, scientists and advocates placing well being, for the primary time, prominently on the COP28 agenda, and issuing a world declaration on local weather and well being.
Heads of State on the United Nations Common Meeting dedicated to advance common well being protection, finish tuberculosis and defend the world from future pandemics.
Every of those achievements, and plenty of extra, demonstrated the facility of science, options and solidarity to guard and promote well being.
However 2023 has additionally been a yr of immense and avoidable struggling and threats to well being.
The barbaric assaults by Hamas on Israel on the seventh of October left round 1300 folks useless and over 200 taken hostage. Stories of gender-based violence and mistreatment of hostages are deplorable.
This was adopted by the unleashing of a devastating assault on Gaza, which has killed greater than 20,000 folks – primarily girls and kids – and injured over 53,000.
On the similar time, hospitals and well being staff have been repeatedly attacked, whereas aid efforts usually are not coming near assembly the wants of individuals.
As of twenty-two December, solely 9 of 36 well being services in Gaza had been partially purposeful, with solely 4 providing probably the most fundamental of companies within the north.
For that reason, we name once more for a direct cease-fire.
Battle and armed hostilities, sadly, have plagued too many different areas around the globe, together with Sudan, Ukraine, Ethiopia and Myanmar, to call however a number of.
I noticed first-hand the struggling of war-weary folks in North-West Syria who, like communities I additionally visited in neighbouring Türkiye, had been devastated by the horrible earthquake in February.
With out peace, there is no such thing as a well being, and with out well being there will be no peace.
Insecurity, poverty and lack of entry to wash water and hygiene fanned the unfold of infectious illnesses in lots of international locations.
The resurgence of cholera is very regarding, with a document variety of 40-plus outbreaks around the globe.
And when it comes to emergency preparedness and response, gaps stay on the earth’s readiness to stop the subsequent pandemic.
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However 2024 presents a singular alternative to deal with these gaps.
Governments are negotiating the first-ever international settlement to guard communities, international locations and the world from the risk posed by pandemics.
The Pandemic Accord is being designed to bridge the gaps in international collaboration, cooperation and fairness.
The Accord, and plans to strengthen the Worldwide Well being Rules, signify monumental actions by governments to create a safer and more healthy world.
And as WHO closes out our seventy fifth yr because the “world’s” well being group, I lengthen by my honest gratitude to well being staff, companions, and WHO colleagues, on our shared journey to attain Well being for All.
Lastly, throughout this vacation season, I’m positive that everybody will be part of me in hoping that the New Yr will convey peace, well being and prosperity for all folks around the globe.
