Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says many medics in the developing world are fighting a pandemic with poor resources. AP
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says many medics in the developing world are fighting a pandemic with poor resources. AP
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says many medics in the developing world are fighting a pandemic with poor resources. AP
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says many medics in the developing world are fighting a pandemic with poor resources. AP

WHO chief: Many developing world medics fighting pandemic with almost no electricity


Sarwat Nasir
  • English
  • Arabic

The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the important link between the energy and health sectors, the World Health Organisation chief has said.

Speaking at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week on Monday, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that “access to electricity meant the difference between life and death” in the pandemic, as medical professionals need to operate vital medical equipment and maintain cold chain for vaccines.

The director general of the organisation said that a billion people around the world were served in hospitals and clinics that operate without power.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted the critical link between energy and health. Yet, a billion people are still served by healthcare facilities without power and rely on dirty energy at home,” he said in an online address.

Last year, the High Level Coalition on Health and Energy endorsed a plan that laid out priority actions.

Dr Ghebreyesus said the first goal was to dramatically increase investment in electrifying healthcare facilities and in clean cooking.

“Second, provide the necessary resources to design and implement clean energy plans tailored to the needs of the health sector,” he said.

“Third, develop policy and finance schemes to unlock the potential of clean energy solutions and to address the health sector needs.”

He said that the polluting energy sources were driving the climate crisis, bringing extreme weather, spreading infectious diseases and threatening to destroy vulnerable communities.

According to the Rockefeller Foundation, a US-based non-profit organisation, a quarter of healthcare facilities in sub-Saharan Africa and parts of Asia have no electricity, and nearly three-quarters of those have unreliable power.

A recent study that analysed more than 121,000 health facilities in 46 low and middle-income countries found that almost 60 per cent of them lacked access to reliable electricity.

Dr Rajiv Shah, president of the Rockefeller Foundation, said last year that every family in the world deserved access to a healthcare worker.

“You cannot run an effective healthcare clinic without electricity for lighting, sterilisation of equipment and storage of vital vaccines and medication,” he said.

“We’ve been reminded again during the pandemic why it is so risky for only the wealthy few to have access to the modern technology and data-driven health care that requires reliable electricity.”

Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week 2022: in pictures

  • The National display at World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC. All photos by Victor Besa / The National
    The National display at World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC. All photos by Victor Besa / The National
  • The National display at World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC.
    The National display at World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC.
  • The Opti Robot, official mascot of Expo 2020 Dbai visits the Future Energy Summit in ADNEC.
    The Opti Robot, official mascot of Expo 2020 Dbai visits the Future Energy Summit in ADNEC.
  • The PVH stall at the World Future Energy Summit in ADNEC
    The PVH stall at the World Future Energy Summit in ADNEC
  • The Sungrow display at World Future Energy Summit in ADNEC.
    The Sungrow display at World Future Energy Summit in ADNEC.
  • The Hawido water valves display at World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC.
    The Hawido water valves display at World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC.
  • The BP display at World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC.
    The BP display at World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC.
  • The NEOM stall at the World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC
    The NEOM stall at the World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC
  • The National display at World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC.
    The National display at World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC.
  • Roll-Royce SMR display at World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC
    Roll-Royce SMR display at World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC
  • Adnoc stall at the Future Energy Summit in ADNEC.
    Adnoc stall at the Future Energy Summit in ADNEC.
  • The Japan Pavilion at the World Future Energy Summit in ADNEC
    The Japan Pavilion at the World Future Energy Summit in ADNEC
  • The Masdar stall at the World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC
    The Masdar stall at the World Future Energy Summit at ADNEC
  • The Taqa stand at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, held at Adnec. All photos: Victor Besa / The National
    The Taqa stand at Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, held at Adnec. All photos: Victor Besa / The National
  • The International Renewable Energy Agency stall
    The International Renewable Energy Agency stall
  • Visitors at display by Taqa, the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company
    Visitors at display by Taqa, the Abu Dhabi National Energy Company
  • Taqa is Arabic for ‘energy’
    Taqa is Arabic for ‘energy’
  • The stand of Terberg, a Dutch manufacturer of specialist vehicles
    The stand of Terberg, a Dutch manufacturer of specialist vehicles
  • Jeremy James operates the Terberg RosRoca, which is used in waste management and recycling
    Jeremy James operates the Terberg RosRoca, which is used in waste management and recycling
  • The stall of the Spanish infrastructure company Acciona
    The stall of the Spanish infrastructure company Acciona
  • The event is held in tandem with the World Future Energy Summit
    The event is held in tandem with the World Future Energy Summit
  • Zarco Bogovac, left, and his team at Serbia’s Plastik Gogic hold miniatures of their colourful bins
    Zarco Bogovac, left, and his team at Serbia’s Plastik Gogic hold miniatures of their colourful bins
  • The Aldar Environmental Cafe
    The Aldar Environmental Cafe
  • The Sustainable City Yas Island stall
    The Sustainable City Yas Island stall
  • The Sustainable City Yas Island stall
    The Sustainable City Yas Island stall
  • Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
    Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
  • Safety measures are in place at the event
    Safety measures are in place at the event
Panipat

Director Ashutosh Gowariker

Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment

Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman

Rating 3 /stars

Various Artists 
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
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The specs

Engine: 1.5-litre turbo

Power: 181hp

Torque: 230Nm

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

Starting price: Dh79,000

On sale: Now

TICKETS

For tickets for the two-day Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) event, entitled Dubai Invasion 2019, on September 27 and 28 go to www.meraticket.com.

ITU Abu Dhabi World Triathlon

For more information go to www.abudhabi.triathlon.org.

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Fund-raising tips for start-ups

Develop an innovative business concept

Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors

Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19

Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.) 

Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months

Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses

Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business

* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna

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Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
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  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

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  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
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Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

The%20specs
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FIXTURES

All times UAE ( 4 GMT)

Saturday
Fiorentina v Torino (8pm)
Hellas Verona v Roma (10.45pm)

Sunday
Parma v Napoli (2.30pm)
Genoa v Crotone (5pm)
Sassuolo v Cagliari (8pm)
Juventus v Sampdoria (10.45pm)

Monday
AC Milan v Bologna (10.45om)

Playing September 30

Benevento v Inter Milan (8pm)
Udinese v Spezia (8pm)
Lazio v Atalanta (10.45pm)

THE SPECS

Jaguar F-Pace SVR

Engine: 5-litre supercharged V8​​​​​​​

Transmission: 8-speed automatic

Power: 542bhp​​​​​​​

Torque: 680Nm​​​​​​​

Price: Dh465,071

Updated: January 17, 2022, 4:06 PM