"These countries have done well because they have done well because they learned lessons from previous outbreaks of Sars, Mers, measles, polio, Ebola, flu and other diseases."
Tedros said all countries need to "build back better", with more investment in public health.
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has praised New Zealand again for our Covid response. Photo / AP
"This will not be the last pandemic. History teaches us that outbreaks and pandemics are a fact of life.
"The world must be ready, more ready that it was this time."
Meanwhile, the head of emergencies at the World Health Organisation says governments that provide "politically motivated" information about the coronavirus pandemic could face a political backlash.
Dr Michael Ryan said on Monday that "trying to present oversimplified, simplistic solutions for people is not a long-term strategy that wins". He told reporters in Geneva that "transparency, consistency, honesty" and admitting errors can build trust.
Ryan was speaking in general terms after being asked about conflicting messages sent by the Brazilian government over its Covid-19 response.
Ryan says coronavirus-related messages sometimes come with "political overtones" and he alluded to a saying that trust takes years to build but seconds to lose.
"If communities perceive that they're getting information that is being politically manipulated or that it has been managed in a way that is distorting evidence, then unfortunately that comes back to roost," he said.
