ABU DHABI: Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organisation (WHO), has lauded the United Arab Emirates for substantial advancements in its healthcare sector. He noted that the country showcased notable enhancements across various health indicators, including a rise in life expectancy, stating, "the UAE has made a lot of progress over many years, life expectancy has improved, and many health indicators have improved. So the UAE is doing very well."

In statements to the Emirates News Agency (WAM) at the World Governments Summit (WGS), Dr. Tedros underscored the summit's pivotal role in shaping the future of global health while emphasising the need to address present challenges and discussing strategies to mitigate them effectively.

Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic, Tedros shed light on the significance of collective action and preparedness. He called for establishing global agreements on pandemics to bolster worldwide readiness for future health crises.

"On COVID-19, what we learned from it and the need for a pandemic accord or pandemic agreement that can help us to prepare the world better." Recalling his warning six years ago about the looming threat of a global pandemic with the world's lack of readiness, Tedros said, "In 2018, I spoke about pandemics. I said pandemics can happen, and we are not prepared for it, or the world is not prepared for it."

He asserted the necessity of leveraging platforms like the World Governments Summit to foster dialogue and readiness for such eventualities, ensuring a more resilient global health landscape.