The head of the World Health Organization urged countries on Monday to carry out reforms needed to prepare for the next pandemic.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus hailed the countries’ “historic” decision to accept a major budget hike at the U.N. agency’s annual assembly.
Speaking at the assembly weeks after ending the global emergency status for the COVID-19 pandemic, Tedros said it was time to advance negotiations on preventing the next pandemic.
“We cannot kick this can down the road,” the WHO director-general said in a major address to the agency’s member states, warning that the next pandemic was bound to “come knocking”. If we do not make the changes that must be made, then who will? And if we do not make them now, then when?” he said.
