WHO calls for pandemic investment and extends Pakistan polio travel rules

The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for sustained investment and action to strengthen global pandemic preparedness. During a United Nations General Assembly meeting, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus highlighted that the COVID-19 pandemic caused over 20 million excess deaths and a $10 trillion loss to the global economy, emphasizing the need to build resilient health systems and ensure equitable access to medical resources.

Separately, the WHO has extended travel restrictions for Pakistan for an additional three months due to the ongoing threat of wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1). The decision follows assessments by the Polio International Health Regulations Emergency Committee, which identified continued transmission in areas such as Karachi and southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The committee noted significant epidemiological links between Pakistan and Afghanistan, particularly in the cross-border corridor, and emphasized that restrictions aim to prevent the international spread of the virus while vaccination efforts are bolstered.