DG remarks and links for COVID-19 press briefing, 26 February, 2021

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Friday 26 February, 2021

Please find enclosed the link of the WHO Director-General's statement as well as other materials from the COVID-19 media briefing on 26 February that featured special guests:

Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, Director of Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control
Dr Walter Kazadi Mulombo, head of WHO’s country office in Nigeria

https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19-26-february-2021

On Monday, the governments of Sweden and Switzerland and the United Nations will host a virtual High-Level Pledging Event for Yemen. Yemen is the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, with more than 20 million people in need of humanitarian assistance. The 2021 Response Plan includes an ask of US$3.85 billion. I urge donors to be generous.
On Wednesday, Ghana became the first country outside India to receive doses of COVID-19 vaccine from the COVAX Facility. Just a few hours ago, Côte d’Ivoire received its first doses, and more doses will be shipped to more countries in the coming days and weeks, as we move towards our target of starting vaccination in all countries within the first 100 days of the year.
Now is the time to use every tool to scale up production, including licensing and technology transfer, and where necessary, intellectual property waivers. If not now, then when?
On Wednesday, WHO officially launched our Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan for 2021, which outlines six objectives and the 10 essential pillars of the response. The 2021 SPRP outlines how WHO will support countries in meeting these objectives, and the resources we need to do it.

Media briefing audio link (Length 1hrs 14mins):https://terrance.who.int/mediacentre/presser/WHO-AUDIO_Emergencies_Coronavirus_Press_Conference_26FEB2021.mp3

News edit link (TRT 4mins 30sec):
https://who.canto.global/b/RVP3B

Media assets and information on COVID-19
https://who.canto.global/v/coronavirus

RELATED

COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP 2021)

WHO is issuing the COVID-19 Strategic Preparedness and Response Plan (SPRP) for 2021 and accompanying documents as a package aimed at guiding the coordinated action that we must take at national, regional, and global levels to overcome the ongoing challenges in the response to COVID-19, address inequities, and plot a course out of the pandemic. More here.

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