Geneva: The Director-General of world’s apex health body today acknowledged that the World Health Organization (WHO) needs to be more transparent.
Making his closing remarks at the 150th session of the WHO executive board, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, concurred with the WHO Executive Board Chair, Dr. Patrick Amoth, who suggested reforms at WHO and emphasised the fundamental principles of inclusivity, equity and transparency in these reforms. He assured the Chair that the WHO Secretariat remains committed to “build a WHO that is even more effective and efficient, more accountable and transparent”.
Dr. Ghebreyesus, who was also nominated for the second term as WHO D-G, said he looked forward to continuing to work in the year and years ahead to promote health, keep the world safe and serve the vulnerable.
Incidentally his first term was much in the eye of the storm, with WHO embroiled in the politics of the USA under Donald Trump which walked out of it, and China – which still continues to deny that the COVID-19 originated in Wuhan. (Also read: China writes to WHO to trace Covid-19 origins in the USA).
The perception of WHO being controlled by China also marred its image during his first term as D-G. WHO looked hopelessly clueless in dealing with the country. (Also read: Why shouldn’t WHO D-G attack the USA at the UNGA?)
Besides, the WHO was also scandalised for the sexual exploitation by its staff in Congo only recently. (Also read: Commission confirms sexual exploitation by WHO staff in Congo).
Dr. Ghebreyesus said the Secretariat’s top priority would be to strengthen its work on preventing and responding to sexual exploitation, abuse and harassment.
Dr. Amoth stressed the urgency of making progress on some of the key building blocks of the strengthening process, and also urged the WHO Secretariat to contribute to the global debate. The D-G assured that in advance of this year’s World Health Assembly, he undertakes that the Secretariat will develop proposals, in consultation with Member States, on strengthening the global health architecture for emergency preparedness, response and resilience.
Also read: 85% of African population yet to receive a single dose of Corona vaccine
The Chair also recommended the extension of the 13th General Programme of Work (GPW) to the World Health Assembly.
Dr. Ghebreyesus acknowledged that the pandemic had only reinforced why the GPW, the “triple billion” targets, and the Sustainable Development Goals on which they based, are more relevant than ever, and why WHO must pursue them with even more ambition, innovation and cooperation.
He though said that the agenda that the Chair had set for the World Health Assembly “reflects the scale of health challenges we face, as individual countries, and as a global community, as we continue to respond to, and recover from, the pandemic…(and) reflects the scale of work “we have to do, and the scale of expectations you have of your World Health Organization”.
Dr. Ghebreyesus went on to add that it also “reflects why the world needs a strong, effective, empowered, efficient, accountable, transparent and sustainably financed WHO as the leading and directing authority on global health.”
The discussions at the Executive Board this week highlighted there was no substitute for multilateralism; no substitute for working together in a spirit of solidarity to find consensus and move forward together.
– global bihari bureau
