UN adopts International Day of Epidemic Preparedness initiated by Vietnam

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December 27 is chosen as International Day of Epidemic Preparedness (Photo: Getty Images)

Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, Permanent Representative Vietnam to the UN, introduced the draft resolution on International Day of Epidemic Preparedness at the 75th session of the General Assembly on December 7.

Vietnam chose December 27 as the birthday of Louis Pasteur, the French biologist, microbiologist and chemist and one of the most important founders of medical microbiology, according to Hanoi Times.

"The pandemic caught us off guard, but it also has served as a wake-up call for improving our preparedness," Thang said as he introduced the resolution.

"We believe that observing an International Day on Epidemic Preparedness will be a prominent way to achieve this goal."

The resolution also invites all member states, U.N. organizations, other global and regional organizations, civil society, academic institutions, individuals, and other stakeholders to observe the day annually through education and awareness-raising activities.

The resolution adopted Monday by consensus by the 193-member world body expresses “grave concern at the devastating impacts of major infectious diseases and epidemics, as exemplified by the ongoing coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, on human lives.” It was co-authored by Canada, Niger, Senegal, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Spain and co-sponsored by 107 countries.

The UN resolution to raise the level of preparedness for epidemics stresses the importance of international cooperation and multilateralism (Photo: Reuters)

As reported by NY Post, epidemics wreak havoc “on long-term social and economic development,” and create health crises that “threaten to overwhelm already overstretched health systems, disrupt global supply chains and cause disproportionate devastation of the livelihoods of people … and the economies of the poorest and most vulnerable countries,” the resolution said.

The assembly underlined the urgency of having robust health systems and expressed deep concern that without international attention “future epidemics could surpass previous outbreaks in terms of intensity and gravity.”

It asked the UN World Health Organization to facilitate the observance of the International Day of Epidemic Preparedness to ensure the transmission and exchange of information, scientific knowledge and best practices on preventing and responding to epidemics locally, nationally, regionally and internationally.

"Given that the General Assembly has previously declared international days devoted to chess, yoga and toilets it only seems fair that epidemics should have their day too," Reuters quoted International Crisis Group U.N. director Richard Gowan as saying.

"A lot of smaller and poorer states worry that they won't have any part in real decisions about the coronavirus vaccine or recovery."

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