WHO chief says 'greatest threat' amid COVID-19 pandemic is 'lack of leadership'

With more than 12.4 million global infections of coronavirus and over 559,000 deaths, the World Health Organisation (WHO) head has said the “greatest threat is not the virus itself” and condemned the “lack of leadership”. Making an emotional plea for global solidarity and leadership, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a press conference that the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic is a “test” for unity among nations across the world as the novel coronavirus continues to tighten its grip. 

WHO chief said, “My friends, make no mistake. The greatest threat we face now is not the virus itself. Rather, it is the lack of leadership and solidarity at the global and national levels.”

“That is why I said each and every individual should reflect. This is a tragedy that is forcing us to miss many of our friends and lose many lives. And we cannot defeat this pandemic as a divided world,” he added.

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‘How difficult it is to unite?’

While elaborating on the need for a common ground for the entire world, the WHO chief also asked, “how is it difficult to unite?” and tackle the “common enemy” that has caused great crisis. From socio-economic to psychological repercussions, the coronavirus outbreak has continued to impact millions of people since the last six months after it was identified in China. According to the WHO chief, the “best way” to move forward is “together”. Tedros also said that even though tackling a difficulty with unity are the ‘basics’, they are still the ‘time-lasted truth’. 

Tedros said, “The COVID-19 pandemic is a test of global solidarity and global leadership. The virus thrives on division but is thwarted when we unite.”

“How is it difficult for humans to unite and fight a common enemy that is killing people indiscriminately? Are we unable to distinguish or identify the common enemy? Can’t we understand that the divisions and the cracks between us are an advantage for the virus?” he questioned.

Moreover, the WHO chief noted that solidarity is the way to handle the global health crisis “unless” the world plans on providing an advantage to the COVID-19 pandemic. AS per Johns Hopkins University tally, the novel coronavirus has infected 12,466,337 people across the globe with at least 559,622 deaths. The most severely hit country in the world according to the numbers is the United States with 3.1 million infections and more than 134,000 casualties. It is followed by Brazil with 1.8 million COVID-19 cases and more than 70,300 deaths.

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