WHO has been criticized for not being prompt in declaring the coronavirus pandemic a global health emergency at the right time when spread could have been averted. It set up a panel of international experts in this field to look into and investigate the whole matter so that any further such eventuality could be averted. In their report, the panel also specified that WHO should have more power in accessing data from member countries about a disease. This would imply more transparency with member countries being forced to give up some of their powers. This might not be liked by them but has to be done for the sake of the good of the world.
Panel and criticism of world response
The international panel have blamed individual countries for their slow response in this matter of global interest. Many governments in the start were just watching with no action. This tardiness led to further spread and bad effect on citizens. The panel said that there was no proper global leadership in this matter. There are no international health laws that WHO could have used to intervene and force countries to allow it to access the data related to the severe viral infection.
The people's reaction to the report
Not everyone was happy with the report. Some experts felt that WHO too had not acted fast. And absolving it in this matter was not right. They felt that China should also be held accountable for holding back vital data. They felt that both China and WHO are similar with lack of transparency, openness, frankness, and accountability.
The former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf and former New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark headed the panel. Ellen said:
“The situation we find ourselves in today could have been prevented,”
Helen added:
“WHO should have the powers necessary to investigate outbreaks of concern, speedily guaranteed rights of access, and with the ability to publish information without waiting for member state approval,”
But member countries will not like it and hence it might not get implemented. Sophie Harman, a professor of international politics at Queen Mary University of London said:
“Which states would actually allow WHO in to investigate an outbreak without their permission?”
 |
| WHO current DG (Source: Stat news) |
Besides, asking for more power for WHO, the panel also stated that WHO and World Trade Organization should hold a meeting to discuss the vaccine production. Countries producing vaccines and the manufacturers should attend this meeting and decide on quickness of deals for vaccine development and production and technology transfers. Clare Wenham, a professor of global health policy at the London School of Economics said:
“The problems aren’t technical. The problems are political. The problems are about like: How do you get governments to behave and think about things beyond their own borders? I don’t think that has been resolved.”
More from the panel
Is coronavirus a pollutant?
The panel felt that the term of the WHO's director-general should be for 7 years and only for a single term. Now it is 5 years and can be renewed once. This is to lessen the intense political pressure that cones on the WHO top leader. USA was unhappy with WHO and accused it of colluding with China. Openly, WHO kept praising China in public but the behind-the-scene truth was that they felt that China was not giving them critical information.
All in all, the fact is that despite the report nothing much would change at the ground level and people will continue to suffer at the hands of the politicians and such agencies.
Comments
Post a Comment