Yesterday, WHO and UNICEF published new data which show promising signs that immunization services are rebounding in some countries after disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Last year, 4 million more children received immunizations than in 2021.

This is encouraging news, but large gaps remain, and global and regional averages mask severe and persistent inequities, especially in low-income countries.

More than 20 million children missed out on one or more vaccines last year, and almost 15 million missed out entirely.

While these numbers are lower than 2021, they’re still higher than pre-pandemic levels.

We’re still falling behind with our targets to reach children with measles, HPV, yellow fever and many other vaccines, risking outbreaks and suffering as a result of diseases that can be easily prevented.

Of the 75 countries with substantial declines in immunization, only 15 have recovered to pre-pandemic levels, with the rest stagnant or even declining further.

Most concerningly, low-income countries are not yet showing signs of recovery.

In response, WHO, UNICEF and other partners have launched the Big Catch-up, working with the most-affected countries to catch-up, recover, and strengthen immunization infrastructure.

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This week, the Intergovernmental Negotiating Body to draft and negotiate the pandemic accord is holding its sixth meeting.

Next week, the Working Group on Amendments to the International Health Regulations will hold its fourth meeting.

As the negotiations of both processes are entering a critical stage, with less than a year to finalize their work, later this week the two groups will hold their first joint meeting. The meeting will be webcast.

The groups will discuss topics including the definition and declaration of a public health emergency of international concern, and a pandemic.

However, just as mis- and disinformation undermined the global response to the COVID-19 pandemic, so mis- and disinformation is undermining these efforts to keep the world safer from future pandemics.

20 years ago, the tobacco industry tried to undermine negotiations on the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

The same thing is happening now. Groups with vested interests are claiming falsely that the accord is a power grab by WHO, and that it will stymie innovation and research.

Both claims are completely false.

I need to put this plainly: those who peddle lies about this historic agreement are endangering the health and safety of future generations.

If two companies sign a business contract, and use lawyers to help them develop it, that doesn’t give the lawyers control over the contract, nor make them a party to it.

It’s the same here. The pandemic accord is an agreement between countries, and WHO is helping them to develop that agreement.

But WHO will not be a party to the agreement. As the countries themselves have pointed out repeatedly, this is an agreement between countries, and countries alone.

This accord aims to address the lack of solidarity and equity that hampered the global response to COVID-19.

It’s a historic opportunity for the world to learn the painful lessons COVID-19 taught us, and make the world safer for generations to come.

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Earlier this week, I had the privilege of addressing the meeting of G20 finance ministers and central bank governors.

I made the point that the global economy and global health are inextricably linked, as the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated.

And of course, pandemics are far from the only threat to health and economies.

Every day, diseases, conditions and injuries incur huge costs to governments, in terms of health sector spending and lost productivity.

Many of these diseases, conditions and injuries could be prevented at a fraction of the cost of dealing with their consequences.

Investments in health are therefore an economic no-brainer. If they were bonds, they would be rated triple-A.

It’s time to rethink financing for health.

It’s time to see health not as a cost, but an investment;

Not as a consumptive sector, but a productive sector – as the anchor for more inclusive, more equitable and more prosperous societies and economies.

Over the past three years, the G20 has played an important role in bringing together finance and health to respond to COVID-19, and to strengthen the global architecture for pandemic preparedness.

I appreciate especially the G20’s leadership in establishing the Joint Finance-Health Task Force, which is supporting countries to identify and mitigate economic vulnerabilities, and finance pandemic response.

WHO is proud to host the Task Force secretariat, with the support of our partners at the World Bank.

On the other hand, it’s concerning that at this meeting, G20 countries were not able to reach agreement on debt relief for low-income countries.

The pandemic has taken a heavy toll on the world’s poorest countries. The burden of debt will keep them in a cycle of poverty, and prevent them from making the investments in health that could help to fuel their recovery and growth.

Just as the world’s largest economies have taken action to protect the world from pandemics, we call on them to demonstrate solidarity by taking action on debt relief to protect the world from poverty.

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One of the biggest contributors to keeping people trapped in poverty is the lack of rehabilitation services for those who need them.

For most people, rehabilitation services, including assistive technologies, are often out-of-pocket expenses that they cannot afford.

Ensuring access to quality rehabilitation services, without financial hardship, is an essential part of every country’s journey towards universal health coverage.

Last week, WHO launched the World Rehabilitation Alliance, a global network focused on promoting rehabilitation as an integral part of universal health coverage.

The World Rehabilitation Alliance is a powerful demonstration of the collaborative spirit of the rehabilitation community and the importance of bringing together the voices of many stakeholders to promote one message.

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Many countries in the northern hemisphere are now experiencing extreme heat, driven by the El Nino weather pattern and climate change.

Two weeks ago we saw the hottest day on record.

Extreme heat takes the greatest toll on those least able to manage its consequences, such as older people, infants and children, and the poor and homeless.

It also puts increased pressure on health systems.

Exposure to excessive heat has wide ranging impacts for health, often amplifying pre-existing conditions and resulting in premature death and disability.

In collaboration with the World Meteorological Organization, WHO is supporting countries to develop Heat Health Action Plans to coordinate preparedness and reduce the impacts of excessive heat on health.

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Now to Poland, which has notified WHO of an unusual outbreak of 29 cases of H5N1 avian influenza in cats.

The source of exposure is unknown and investigations are ongoing.

No human contacts have so far reported symptoms, and the surveillance period for all contacts is now complete.

WHO assesses the risk of human infection as low for the general population, and low to moderate for cat owners and vets, without the use of appropriate personal protective equipment.

Infection of cats with H5N1 has been reported before, but this is the first report of high numbers of infected cats over a wide geographical area.

WHO continues to monitor the situation, in close collaboration with partners and the government of Poland.

H5N1 is of particular concern because it is known to be highly dangerous to humans, although it has never been shown to be easily transmissible between people.

This outbreak is another example of the continued circulation and risk of H5N1, which since last year has caused increased outbreaks in central and south America.

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Finally, a reminder that although COVID-19 is over as a global health emergency, it remains a global health threat.

Cases and deaths continue to be reported from around the world.

And although people are better protected by vaccination and prior infection, this is not an excuse to let down our guard.

WHO continues to advise people at high risk to wear a mask in crowded places, to get boosters when recommended, and to ensure adequate ventilation indoors.

And we urge governments to maintain and not dismantle the systems they built for COVID-19:

To continue to conduct surveillance and report, to track variants, to provide early clinical care, to provide boosters for the most at-risk groups, to improve ventilation, and to communicate regularly.