On Wednesday, the World Health Organisation unveiled its new COVID-19 plan, aiming to assist nations in transitioning from an emergency response to a long-term preventive and control approach. The director general of the global health agency, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that the goal of the new set of policies is to support countries as they transition from an emergency response to longer-term sustained COVID-19 disease prevention, control, and management.

Last week, the WHO reported that the rate of COVID-19 mortality had reduced by 95% since the beginning of the year but cautioned that the virus was still on the move. The agency added that the virus was here to stay. Hence, the nations will have to learn how to handle its continuous non-emergency impacts, such as COVID.

The new approach included two goals from the previous plan issued in 2022. Those two goals are reducing COVID circulation and treating the virus to minimize mortality, morbidity, and long-term repercussions. However, the current strategy added a third goal, which states, "To assist countries in transitioning from an emergency response to longer-term sustained COVID-19 disease prevention, control, and management."

According to Dr. Tedros, the new WHO publication emphasizes methods to tackle Long COVID, which has been observed in 6% of symptomatic patients. He explained that the expenditure for the COVID-19 response was expensive, but the cost will multiply if the nations fail to build on those investments by making a sustained commitment to science and public health.

Lastly, he noted that this is the reason why the global agency is urging the countries to maintain sufficient capacity, operational readiness, and flexibility to scale up during any further surge in COVID-19 cases while maintaining other essential health services. 

(Source:https://health.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/policy/who-sets-out-future-covid-policy/99987358 )