According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the average life expectancy for men and women worldwide has climbed from 46 to 73 years, with the poorest nations seeing the greatest increases.
The WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, announced this during an online press conference.
After years of conflict, the organization, according to Ghebreyesus, understood it was preferable to cooperate than engage in combat.
According to him, the group also recognised that a safer society was one that was healthier.
“Their goal was to provide everyone with the best possible level of health. They decided to establish a new organisation to carry out that aim.
In a text known as the World Health Organization’s Constitution, they discussed and decided what this body would be and do, according to Ghebreyesus.
He claims that the group commemorated the constitution’s 75th anniversary of being into effect.
The organisation’s charter, according to him, was the first in human history to publicly declare health as a human right.
According to the head of WHO, since then, the globe has made great strides towards achieving that aim.
He said that polio was at risk and that smallpox had been completely eliminated.
These two events are among the organisation’s major accomplishments during its 75-year history.
“Malaria has been eradicated in 42 countries, and the HIV and TB epidemics have slowed down.
He claimed that 47 nations have eradicated at least one neglected tropical illness.
According to Ghebreyesus, only in the last 20 years have smoking rates, maternal death rates, and infant mortality rates all decreased by a third.
He claims that new Ebola and malaria vaccinations have just been developed and approved in the last five years.
He said that new Ebola and malaria vaccinations had just been developed and approved in the last five years.
The COVID-19 pandemic, the worst health disaster in a century, has been addressed by the WHO’s coordination of the worldwide response over the last three years.
“While we cannot take entire credit for these accomplishments, we have contributed significantly to each and every one of them. collaborating with a variety of partners, particularly our Member States.
“And even while we may be happy with a lot of our accomplishments, we still have a lot of problems ahead of us, some of which are new.
According to Ghebreyesus, there are still significant discrepancies in access to health care across and within different nations and groups.
He asserts that while access to fundamental services has considerably improved since 2000, at least 50% of the world’s population still does not have access to one or more of these services, such as family planning, fundamental sanitation, or access to a health professional.
According to him, those who live in poverty, refugees and migrants, persons with disabilities, members of ethnic minorities, and other disadvantaged groups often suffer because of where they reside, their gender, age, or other characteristics.
Meanwhile, a third more people—nearly two billion people—have experienced financial difficulty due to out-of-pocket medical expenses since 2000.
“Noncommunicable illnesses currently cause more than 70% of all fatalities worldwide. Due to poor diets and lack of exercise, rates of diabetes and obesity have sharply risen.
“Progress against TB and malaria has halted, and the rise of antibiotic resistance poses a danger to a century of medical progress.
“Climate change and air pollution are endangering our planet’s capacity to support life;
“And as COVID-19 has cruelly shown, there are still significant holes in the global system for preventing epidemics and pandemics.
The world needs WHO today more than ever, he said, “for all these reasons and more.”
