TheJakartaPost

Please Update your browser

Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.

Jakarta Post

Charting a new path to achieve a healthier world for all

From Gaza to Sudan, Yemen to Ukraine, and Haiti and beyond, peace is, and will always be, the best medicine for the health and well-being of all people, everywhere.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
Geneva
Wed, January 1, 2025

Change text size

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Charting a new path to achieve a healthier world for all A man who was injured during an Israeli operation in the Jabalia refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip lies on a bed at Al-Ahli Arab hospital, also known as the Baptist hospital in Gaza City on October 21, 2024, amid the ongoing war in the Palestinian territory between Israel and Hamas. (AFP/Omar Al Qatta)

D

uring Christmas week, I was in Yemen on a United Nations mission to negotiate with the country’s de facto authorities for the release of unjustly detained humanitarians working for the UN and partner organizations. The talks with the Houthis proceeded positively and we hope will bear fruit.

While waiting to board our flight in Sana’a, the airport came under aerial bombardment by Israel. The attack inflicted needless death, injury, panic, chaos and damage, and was another reminder of the growing threat faced by civilians, humanitarians and health workers in war zones around the world.

This must stop. Our leaders must bring desperately needed peace to the world, and health and safety to all.

Peace and health are linked. From Gaza to Sudan, Yemen to Ukraine, and Haiti and beyond, peace is, and will always be, the best medicine for the health and well-being of all people, everywhere.

For the World Health Organization, Health for All is our guiding light.

We pursue this mission often by working in dangerous places. We do this to protect and promote people’s health.

Viewpoint

Every Thursday

Whether you're looking to broaden your horizons or stay informed on the latest developments, "Viewpoint" is the perfect source for anyone seeking to engage with the issues that matter most.

By registering, you agree with The Jakarta Post's

Thank You

for signing up our newsletter!

Please check your email for your newsletter subscription.

View More Newsletter

We go the extra mile.

Some achievements of the past year include: Eliminating malaria and other neglected diseases in numerous countries; 17 African countries using a new malaria vaccine;

making a new vaccine against dengue; celebrating 154 million lives saved thanks to the Expanded Program of Immunization founded 50 years ago; making the world safer from outbreaks and pandemics by strengthening the International Health Regulations;

certifying the first mpox vaccines and tests; reducing tobacco use globally; and opening the game-changing WHO Academy in Lyon with French President Emmanuel Macron.

But bolstering global health security to protect against future outbreaks will require more work in 2025.

These actions, and more, will help make our families, communities and the whole world healthier and safer.

To succeed in this vital quest, we must invest in essential measures to promote and protect health.

We will continue working to advance health for all, including the health of children, and, especially, mothers, who will be the focus of World Health Day 2025 on April 7, which also marks WHO’s 77th birthday.

Let us not miss the opportunity the New Year offers us. Please let’s turn the page on conflict, chart a new path to achieve lasting peace, and secure a healthy and prosperous future for all.

***

The writer is director general of the World Health Organization.

Your Opinion Matters

Share your experiences, suggestions, and any issues you've encountered on The Jakarta Post. We're here to listen.

Enter at least 30 characters
0 / 30

Thank You

Thank you for sharing your thoughts. We appreciate your feedback.

Share options

Quickly share this news with your network—keep everyone informed with just a single click!

Change text size options

Customize your reading experience by adjusting the text size to small, medium, or large—find what’s most comfortable for you.

Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone

Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!

Continue in the app

Get the best experience—faster access, exclusive features, and a seamless way to stay updated.