"Good morning, good afternoon and good evening.  

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First, as the northern hemisphere winter approaches, we continue to see concerning trends for COVID-19.

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Among the relatively few countries that report them, both hospitalizations and ICU admissions have increased in the past 28 days, particularly in the Americas and Europe.

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Meanwhile, vaccination levels among the most at-risk groups remain worryingly low.

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Two-thirds of the world’s population has received a complete primary series, but only one-third has received an additional, or “booster” dose.

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COVID-19 may no longer be the acute crisis it was two years ago, but that does not mean we can ignore it.

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Countries invested so much in building their systems to respond to COVID-19.

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We urge countries to sustain those systems, to ensure people can be protected, tested and treated for COVID-19 and other infectious threats.

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That means sustaining systems for collaborative surveillance, community protection, safe and scalable care, access to countermeasures and coordination.

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Now to cholera.

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Last week, WHO published new data showing that cases reported in 2022 were more than double those in 2021.

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Preliminary data for this year suggest 2023 is likely to be even worse. So far, 28 countries have reported cases this year, compared with 16 during the same period last year.

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The countries with the most concerning outbreaks right now are Ethiopia, Haiti, Iraq and Sudan.

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Significant progress has been made in countries in Southern Africa, including Malawi, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, but these countries remain at risk as the rainy season approaches.

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The worst affected countries and communities are poor, without access to safe drinking water or toilets.

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They also face shortages of oral cholera vaccine and other supplies, as well as overstretched health workers, who are dealing with multiple disease outbreaks and other health emergencies.

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WHO is providing essential supplies, coordinating the on-the-ground response with partners, supporting countries to detect, prevent and treat cholera, and informing people how to protect themselves.

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To support this work, we have appealed for 160 million U.S. dollars, and we have released over 16 million dollars from the WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies.

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But the real solution to cholera lies in ensuring everyone has access to safe water and sanitation, which is an internationally recognized human right.

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Now to Libya, which is no longer in the headlines, but remains in a state of crisis following the devastating floods a few weeks ago.

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Officially, more than 4000 people are dead, more than 8500 are missing, and more than 30,000 have been displaced.

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Only a third of hospitals and half of primary health centres remain fully functional due to structural damage to health facilities and hospitals, lack of medicine and medical equipment and shortages of health workers.

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Affected communities are facing the threat of mosquito- and water-borne diseases, and acute mental distress.

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WHO is working closely with Libya’s Ministry of Health to assess the needs on the ground, provide supplies, and restore primary health care services, especially for routine immunization and mental health.

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To support this work, we have appealed for 11 million U.S. dollars, and released 2.3 million dollars from the Contingency Fund for Emergencies.

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Now to the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, where world leaders gathered for a record three high-level meetings dedicated to health issues.

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At each, they approved political declarations containing strong commitments.

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At the first meeting, on pandemic prevention, preparedness and response, they committed to conclude negotiations on the pandemic accord and amendments to the International Health Regulations by May next year;

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To ensure equitable access to vaccines and other medical countermeasures;

To address mis- and disinformation;

To strengthen the global health workforce;

To invest in strengthening WHO;

And more.

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The second High-Level Meeting was on universal health coverage, which all countries have committed to achieving by 2030 in the Sustainable Development Goals.

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In the lead-up to the meeting, WHO and the World Bank published new data showing that half the world’s population are not fully covered by essential health services, and that 2 billion people face financial hardship due to out-of-pocket health spending, including 1.3 billion who are impoverished by it.

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In the political declaration, countries made more than 50 commitments to progressively expand access to essential health services;

To reverse the trend of catastrophic out-of-pocket health spending;

To strengthen primary health care;

To expand access to essential medicines;

To promote active and healthy lifestyles;

To ensure universal access to sexual and reproductive health services;

And much more.

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The third High-Level Meeting was on tuberculosis.

TB kills more than 1 million people every year.

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In the political declaration, countries committed to reach 90 percent of people with TB prevention and care;

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To use the WHO-recommended rapid test as the first method of diagnosis; 

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To provide social benefit packages to ALL people with TB so they don't endure financial hardship;

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To close funding gaps for TB implementation and research;

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And to license at least one new TB vaccine.

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Developing a new vaccine is especially important. In that regard, WHO has established a TB Vaccine Accelerator Council, led by health ministers, which held its first meeting during the General Assembly.

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We thank Member States for the three political declarations. Now is the time to act. We look forward to supporting all countries to turn these commitments into realities.

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Finally, to cervical cancer.

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WHO’s commitment to universal health coverage means we are working to address all causes of death for all people in all countries.

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But we are particularly focused on the most significant causes of death and disease for the most vulnerable groups.

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Every two minutes, a woman dies of cervical cancer, 90% of them in low- and middle-income countries.

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Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death among women in Africa.

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But it’s the one cancer we can eliminate, thanks to vaccines against human papillomavirus, which is responsible for the vast majority of cases.

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Almost three years ago, WHO launched a global initiative to eliminate cervical cancer, by expanding access to vaccination, screening and treatment for women in all countries.

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Last year, WHO recommended that one dose of vaccine offers comparable protection to two doses for girls and women under 21 years of age – meaning the global supply of vaccines can be used to protect many more women and girls.

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This week, the Expert Group on Cervical Cancer Elimination met to review progress and advise on the future direction for the initiative.

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To say more, I’m pleased to welcome the co-chairs, Professor Groesbeck Parham, who is joining us here in Geneva.

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Professor Parham, thank you for your leadership on this vital issue. You have the floor.

[PROF PARHAM ADDRESSED THE MEDIA]

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Thank you, Professor Parham, for your leadership on this vital issue.

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I look forward to working with both of you in the months and years ahead as we work towards our vision of ending cervical cancer. . . "