UN At 75: WHO Frowns On Falsehoods, Misinformation On Covid-19

–Says It’s Dangerous, Toxic

The World Health Organization(WHO) has frowned on what it called misinformation trailing the coronavirus pandemic.

WHO’s Director General, Tedros Adhanom, expressed his dissatisfaction on Wednesday at a United Nations General Assembly side event tagged, ” Infodemic Management”.

He said, “Just as COVID19 has spread around the world, so too have rumours, untruths, and disinformation; and they can be just as dangerous.

“Far too many people have done themselves harm based on falsehoods, self-medicating with toxic chemicals or dangerous medications.”

His statement came 24 hours after the United States President Donald Trump had told the UNGA that China was virtually controlling the WHO.

He also alleged that WHO partnered China in misinforming the world about Covid-19, thereby leading to the spread of its devastating effects around the world.

But China’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying, on Wednesday, debunked Trump’s allegations.

She also claimed that scientific evidence showed that covid-19 was not man-made.

On his part, Adhanom maintained that the alleged falsehood about its role in the covid-19 pandemic had made many people to doubt its medical advice.

“Others have not taken the precautions they should have.

“False information has also increased stigmatization, which becomes a barrier to seeking care for those who need it”

“Misinformation also has an impact on trust – trust in science, trust in institutions, and trust in health systems,” he said.

Furthermore, he held that it was only by solidarity that the world would be able to defeat the covid-19 pandemic.

“In the COVID19 pandemic, as in all health emergencies, trust and solidarity are critical. 

“Everything that undermines that puts lives at risk.

“But we can bring this virus under control if people have accurate, timely information about the basic measures that they can take to protect themselves and others,”he said.

"Just as #COVID19 has spread around the world, so too have rumours, untruths, and disinformation. And they can be just as dangerous.

Far too many people have done themselves harm based on falsehoods, self-medicating with toxic chemicals or dangerous medications"-@DrTedros #UNGA

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) September 23, 2020