UN health agency developing COVID-19 virus treatment master plan

(United Nations News) The World Health Organization (WHO) is developing a master plan for coordinating clinical trials that could lead to potential therapies for patients infected with the COVID-19 virus, the agency’s chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced on Wednesday.

Mr. Tedros was speaking at a press conference in Geneva, at the conclusion of a two-day research and innovation forum on COVID-19, during which leading health experts from around the world met to assess the current level of knowledge about the new disease, identify gaps and work together, so that critical research can begin immediately.

These include decisions surrounding easy to apply diagnostics, the best approaches for infection prevention, potential therapies that could be used to treat patients, existing vaccine candidates and how to accelerate them, and what Mr. Tedros described as the “infodemic” – the overwhelming quantity of information, being produced and disseminated worldwide.

The WHO is extending investigations into the source of the virus (which is still undetermined), added Mr. Tedros, and continuing to support countries with the tools to diagnose cases and protect health workers, including personal protective equipment.

Read more at: United Nations News

Source: CARICOM TODAY