World ME Alliance calls on WHO Director General to recognise ME alongside Long COVID

On Wednesday 12^th October Dr Tedros Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health
Organization, wrote an op-ed in the Guardian. In it, he lays clear the devastation that Long COVID is
causing around the world, and sets out five key elements of a plan to drive change.

It is vital that the impact of Long COVID is recognised at the highest levels, and the World ME Alliance
congratulates Dr Ghebreyesus on this stance.

However, as more research is undertaken, it is becoming clearer that a large proportion of those
with Long COVID now meet the criteria for an ME/CFS diagnosis. The WHO must recognise this as efforts to find treatments and a cure continue.

The World ME Alliance (of which ANZMES is a founding member) has written to Dr Ghebreyesus calling on him to meet with representatives.

^{WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during the 151st session of the Executive Board on 30 May 2022. This second shorter meeting of the year is a follow-up to the World Health Assembly. The Executive Board is composed of 34 technically qualified members elected for three-year terms. The main functions of the Board are to implement the decisions and policies of the Health Assembly, and advise and generally to facilitate its work.}

Dr Ghebreyesus has previously committed to reaching out to ME experts, and we hope that through collaborative efforts we can learn from ME, and ensure that progress for people with Long COVID doesn’t leave the millions already suffering with ME behind.

Read the full letter from the World ME Alliance and its 19 members below.

2022.10.19-World-ME-Alliance-letter-to-Dr-Tedros-Ghebreyesus-re-Long-Covid-and-ME