International unity and cooperation key in coronavirus fight: Gan Kim Yong

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong highlighted the importance of lifting public health measures in a safe manner. PHOTO: ST FILE

Health Minister Gan Kim Yong yesterday called on countries to learn from and cooperate with one another in the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.

Speaking at the 73rd World Health Assembly yesterday, he said Covid-19 is a challenge that no single country can overcome on its own.

The Covid-19 Response resolution, of which Singapore is a co-sponsor, "sends a strong signal to the world that global solidarity is needed to win this war against the virus", he added.

The assembly, held virtually for the first time, was attended by health ministers of the World Health Organisation (WHO) member states, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, regional directors of the six WHO regions and senior WHO officials.

Mr Gan, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force handling Singapore's response to the coronavirus, highlighted the importance of lifting public health measures in a safe manner as countries make plans to gradually return to normalcy.

Singapore, like many countries, is now planning to roll back some of the stringent measures it introduced earlier, he noted.

The country put in place strict circuit breaker measures on April 7, closing schools and most workplaces. People were told not to leave home except for essential activities. The circuit breaker will end on June 1.

Said Mr Gan: "We need to preserve people's livelihoods while, at the same time, continue to protect their lives and well-being. Therefore, we must adopt a cautious approach as we gradually open up and progressively roll back the measures."

He said that the circuit breaker measures had shown promising results.

The number of new community cases averaged about three per day in the past week, the lowest seen in the country since mid-March.

Meanwhile, the situation at workers' dormitories - where cases had risen exponentially - was being managed proactively, and the situation had stabilised, he added.

Singapore's case fatality rate remained one of the lowest in the world at 0.08 per cent, Mr Gan noted.

He also expressed appreciation to the WHO for its leadership and expertise in the global response to the outbreak.

"Singapore greatly appreciates the leadership and expertise of the WHO under Dr Tedros and reaffirms our solidarity with the WHO, fellow member states, and the global community in this fight against Covid-19, and in paving the way forward as we begin to plan for recovery from the pandemic."

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on May 19, 2020, with the headline International unity and cooperation key in coronavirus fight: Gan Kim Yong. Subscribe