WHO chief calls for solidarity, global leadership to defeat COVID-19 pandemic

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of World Health Organization(WHO), on Thursday called for solidarity among nations and global leadership to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic,adding that divisions will only give the virus an opportunity to spread.

Speaking at press briefing in Geneva, the WHO Director-General said that there is still a $35 billion funding gap for the proposed Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator program proposed by the organization.

He urged all countries to unite and support the expansion of accelerators to achieve fairness in vaccine distribution.

"I think what worries me the most is what I have been saying all along, a lack of solidarity. Because when solidarity lacks and when we are divided, that's a very good opportunity for the virus and that's why it's still spreading. So, that's what worries me and that's what I ask the world to do," said Tedros.

He continued, "So I will again remind we will need solidarity. We will need global leadership, especially of the major parts in the world. That's how we can defeat this virus."

ACT-Accelerator is a globally coordinated initiative launched in April by the WHO to accelerate the development, production and equitable access to new COVID-19 diagnostics, therapeutics and vaccines to help governments reduce risks and share research fruits.

Global confirmed cases of COVID-19 have surpassed 28.06 million, with the death toll exceeding 908,000 as of Thursday CUT (Coordinated Universal Time), according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University.