TheNewsGuru

Tag: Tedros Ghebreyesus

  • ‘Why your decisions must be a matter of life and death’

    ‘Why your decisions must be a matter of life and death’

    Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus has said as long as Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is circulating, everyone is at risk, and that decision on where to go and what to do should be made as a matter of life and death.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports Dr Tedros, who stated this while raising key questions everyone must ask themselves as the pandemic continues to rage, said in recent weeks, outbreaks have been associated with night clubs and other social gatherings, where transmission had been suppressed.

    “Know your situation. Do you know how many cases were reported where you live yesterday? Do you know where to find that information? Do you know how to minimize your exposure? Are you being careful to keep at least 1 meter from others? Are you still cleaning your hands regularly? Are you following the advice of your local authorities?” Tedros queried.

    He went on to say, “We are asking everyone to treat the decisions about where they go, what they do, and who they meet with as life and death decisions, because they are. I may not be your life, but your choices could be the difference between life and death for someone you love or for a complete stranger.

    “In recent weeks, we have seen outbreaks associated with night clubs and other social gatherings, even in places where transmission had been suppressed. We must remember that most people are still susceptible to this virus. As long as it is circulating, everyone is at risk. It is all about making good choices. Don’t expect some else to keep you safe. We all have a part to play in protecting ourselves and one another”.

  • Newly launched toolkit will protect you from hearing loss

    The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on Thursday launched a safe listening toolkit that will serve to protect music lovers from hearing loss.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports the toolkit for safe listening devices and systems was launched at a gathering of staff from WHO and ITU in celebration of the power of sounds and music.

    “We all love music, it is one of the things that makes life worth living. But you can have too much of a good thing. There is a saying in our language: even honey is bitter if you eat too much” said WHO Director General, Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus.

    A billion teenagers and young adults globally are at risk of developing hearing loss because they listen to music too long and too loud. Rising incomes and greater access to technology are increasing the numbers of people at risk, Tedros explained.

    Once hearing loss due to loud sounds sets in, it cannot be reversed. Such hearing loss, if unaddressed, can greatly impact one’s ability to communicate, gain education or find and hold suitable employment.

    The toolkit, with three sets of features, provides practical guidance to support member States, industry partners and civil society groups to use and implement.

    The first feature is a software that tracks how much and how long you are listening, and tells you how much sound you are getting.

    The second is a safety feature that includes automatic volume reduction and parental control — like giving people an optional safety belt in their device.

    The third feature is about making this information available to the user at the touch of the fingertip, so users can find out how much sound they have consumed today, or over the last week.