The leaders “will not be forgiven” if they fail to work together to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, said a senior leader at World Health Organization (WHO) speaking at the first online edition of Qatar Foundation’s Education City Speaker Series held in collaboration with the World Innovation Summit for Health, yesterday.
“This is a global pandemic and we must not spend time looking backwards – that can be done later when history is written,” said Dr. David Nabarro, WHO’s Special Envoy on COVID-19, speaking at the webinar on Flattening the Curve: Global Responses to COVID-19.
The first-ever Education City Speaker Series held online featured international panel of speakers and worldwide audience join online discussion on challenges and hopes in fight against COVID-19.
“We need to work in solidarity, at a community level, and within and between countries. Without solidarity, we will not win. We plead with everyone to look forward, focus on the epic struggle that is taking place right now, and leave the recriminations until later,” said Dr. Nabarro.
“Every single person in the world is a public health worker right now. Everyone is making sacrifices, taking responsibility, and getting involved. We look global leaders straight in the eye and say: the future of our world is in your hands, you must work together, and you will not be forgiven if you don’t,” he added.
Dr. Salih Ali Al Marri, Assistant Minister for Health Affairs at the Ministry of Public Health, Dr Ahmed Al Mandhari, WHO’s Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, Rossella Miccio, President of Emergency NGO, Dr Hsiu-Hung Wang, President of the Taiwan Nurses Association and Dr Hsiu-Hung Wang, President of the Taiwan Nurses Association discussed about COVID-19 in the perspective of their expertise.
Dr. Al Mandhari, emphasized that governments should rebuild, re-establish, redevelop, and rethink how they are running healthcare systems. “Over the years, many countries have overlooked the need to invest in basic health measures that have saved many lives,” he said.
Dr. Al Mandhari also said that the forthcoming holy month of Ramadan a real challenge in terms of people adhering to social distancing. He said WHO is working with Islamic groups and scholars to develop recommendations and give clear guidance to Muslims during the holy month.
Dr. Kim explained that despite the global clamor for a vaccine, issuing an unapproved vaccine would be difficult. He said that before vaccines are fully approved, it has to go through phases of clinical tests, get approved by WHO and the process might take 12 to 18 months. “We really need to do research urgently and ethically if we want to develop a vaccine and reduce the suffering and death. The emphasis has to be on a global effort, and not just sharing data. As countries emerge from COVID-19, we have to see how other countries are suffering and what the gaps are in care and treatment,” he said.
While, Dr. Moeti, highlighted that African continent’s COVID-19 challenges range from testing capacity outside capital cities and the weakness of its healthcare systems, to a shortage of critical supplies. The role of nurses in the fight was emphasised by Dr. Wang. The webinar audience heard from Miccio, and teams from the NGO she represents are on the frontline of Italy’s efforts to combat COVID-19. The webinar was moderated by journalist and documentary-maker Mishal Husain.
