WHO says pandemic must not drag on and 'lurch between panic and neglect'

Countries need to work together to bring the acute phase of the pandemic to an end according to the head of the World Health Organisation, which he said must not be let drag on.

"The Covid-19 pandemic is now entering its third year and we are at a critical juncture," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference.

"We must work together to bring the acute phase of this pandemic to an end. We cannot let it continue to drag on, lurching between panic and neglect," he said.

Dr Tedros also said that Germany had become the agency's largest donor. He was speaking at a press conference alongside Germany's development minister Svenja Schulze, both pictured above. 

Historically, the United States has made the biggest financial contribution among member states to the organisation.

He also noted the critical work of the Berlin Hub. Dr Tedros said they had discussed "building structures for preventing future pandemics, including for producing vaccines and other medical tools where they are most needed". 

Ms Schulze said that the top priority of Germany, which took over the G7 Presidency, is to end the pandemic worldwide and called for a "massively accelerated, truly global vaccination campaign" in order to do so.

The event in Geneva begins a week of WHO executive board meetings where key aspects of the UN health agency's future are due to be discussed, including Dr Tedros' bid for a second term.

Dr Tedros also thanked German for its "admirable commitment to health and its support of vaccine equity".