Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO) speaks after Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the Executive Board’s 148th session on the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak in Geneva, Switzerland, January 21, 2021.
Christopher Black | WHO | via Reuters
The Covid-19 pandemic has caused mass trauma on a larger scale than World War II, and the impact will “last for many years,” the World Health Organization top official said Friday.
“After World War II, the world has experienced mass trauma, as World War II affected many, many lives. And now, even with this larger-scale Covid pandemic, more lives have been affected,” said Tedros Adhanom, director. general of the WHO. Ghebreyesus said at a press conference Friday. “Almost the entire world has been affected, every individual on the surface of the world has actually been affected.”
“And that means mass trauma, which is out of proportion, even greater than what the world experienced after World War II,” he added, noting its effect on mental health. “And if there is massive trauma, it will affect communities for years to come.”
His comments came in response to a question of whether countries should take greater account of the impact of the pandemic on the economy and mental health as they chart their path forward. Tedros’ deputies stressed that mental health should be a priority.
“The answer is absolutely yes,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, head of the WHO’s emerging diseases and zoonoses division. “There are variations in the impact this has had on individuals, whether you’ve lost a loved one, or a family member or friend due to this virus. very difficult situations have to stay at home. “
Kerkhove added that the world is still in the “acute phase” of the pandemic, as the virus sweeps through communities killing tens of thousands every week. However, she added that the long-term mental health toll of the pandemic will become a major problem, saying that “ much more emphasis needs to be placed by governments, by communities, by families, by individuals our concern. welfare.”
Dr. Mike Ryan, executive director of the WHO health emergencies program, urged people to not only highlight the mental health concerns of the pandemic as a problem, but also to discuss solutions.
“It is one thing to say that mental health and mental health are under pressure – it is true – but the opposite must also be what we do to provide psychosocial support to people and communities,” he said.