Context:

• • COVID-19 has infected more than 19 million people, claimed over 0.7 million lives and devastated economies. 
• As the pandemic transcends geopolitical boundaries, timely global health interventions by the World Health Organization (WHO) duly supported by governments plays a crucial role. 

Criticism of WHO’s role

Slow response

• The WHO was expected to play the dual role of a think tank and oversee global responses to public health emergencies.
• The earliest COVID-19 positive case in China was reported in November, but China informed the WHO about the disease only in January. 
• With the WHO country representative stationed in Beijing, it is unlikely that widespread transmission went unnoticed.
• An early warning and timely policy measures by the WHO would have forewarned countries and set their preparatory efforts in motion for mounting a decisive response strategy.

Ignoring hint of other countries

• Though confirmed cases were reported from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and the U.S. in January, the WHO continued to downplay the severity of the virus. 
• • WHO declared the pandemic as a public health emergency of international concern only on January 30.
• It ignored Taiwan’s hints of human-to-human transmission and requests on sharing relevant information.

Fading relevance

• The WHO has been reduced to a coordinating body, beholden to the interests of rich member states. 
• • Its functional efficiency has been disadvantaged with 
• organisational lethargy
• absence of decisive leadership 

• bureaucratic laziness 

• underfunded programmes 

• inability to evolve to meet the needs of the 21st century.

Relying on rich member states

• WHO is funded through assessed contributions made by the member states and voluntary contributions from member states and private donors. 
• While assessed contributions can be spent as per the organisation’s priorities approved at the World Health Assembly, the irregular voluntary contributions are allocated in consultation with the donors. 

• While voluntary contributions accounted for nearly 80% of the budget in 2018-19, assessed contributions merely constituted 17% of the total budgetary support. 

• The challenges owing to constrained finances restrict autonomy in decision-making by favouring a donor-driven agenda.

Conclusion:

• Many countries, especially in Africa and Asia, rely predominantly on the WHO for enforcing policy decisions governing public health. 
• Hence, WHO should not betray that trust because of political leanings and financial compulsions.

Reference

1. https://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-opinion/the-whos-relevance-is-fading/article32321511.ece
2. https://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/United-Nations-Related-Agencies/The-World-Health-Organization-WHO-PURPOSES.html#ixzz6OSz4jw33 
3. https://www.who.int/about