The European region is facing some “critical shortages” in medical supplies, Dr. Hans Henri Kluge, the World Health Organization’s regional director for Europe, said during a media briefing.
“WHO is monitoring the potential risk of a disruption to medicine supplies, focusing on essential medicines critical for primary health care and emergencies, including antibiotics, painkillers, treatments for diabetes, hypertension, HIV, tuberculosis,” Kluge said.
“WHO delivers laboratory equipment, medical devices and personal protective equipment to countries in need.
We are aware of some critical shortages and working hand-in-hand with partners like the European Commission and WHO globally and the private industry to tackle this,” Kluge said.
“Resources are critical to sustain our effort so that no one is left behind nor at the sidelines.”
Europe has “more reported cases and deaths than the rest of the world combined, apart from China,” Tedros said on Friday. “More cases are now being reported every day than were reported in China at the height of its epidemic.”
