Q.18) Critically examine the role of WHO in providing global health security during the COVID-19 pandemic. (UPSC CSE 2020)(Answer in 150 words,10-marks)

INTRODUCTION: Global public health security is defined as the activities required, both proactive and reactive, to minimize the danger and impact of acute public health events that endanger people’s health across geographical regions and international boundaries like COVID-19 pandemic.As countries struggle to implement policies to balance both health and economic imperatives, the actions of the WHO have come under increasing scrutiny.

ROLE OF WHO

The WHO is coordinating the global efforts for mitigating the COVID-19 pandemic, within the broader United Nations response to the pandemic.

• Helping countries to prepare and respond by issuing a COVID-19 Strategic Prearedness and Response Plan, setting up the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund etc.
• Providing accurate information through COVID-19 Situation Reports and COVID-19 situation global dashboard.This also includes around 50 pieces of technical adviceand exploding dangerous myths.
• Ensuring vital supplies reach frontline health workers through UN COVID-19 Supply Chain Task Force, and COVAX vaccine-sharing program which aims to distribute 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine for free or at a reduced cost by the end of 2021.
• Training and mobilizing health workers via its Open WHO platform. Countries are also being supported by the WHO’s Global Outbreak Alert and Response Network (GOARN).
• Research:Access to COVID-19 Tools (ACT) Accelerator to accelerate the development and production of vaccines, diagnostics and therapeutics for COVID 19. It launched a Solidarity Trial, for investigating potential treatment options.WHO-backed COVID-19 Technology Access Pool (C-TAP) is a “one-stop shop” for sharing data, intellectual property, and scientific knowledge. The WHO’s Emergency Use Listing (EUL)allows countries to accelerate their own regulatory approval processes to import and administer the vaccine.
• The World Health Assembly is considering a draft resolution to strengthen Member States’ preparedness for health emergencies, such as COVID-19, through more robust compliance with the International Health Regulations (2005).

African leaders and the African Union have expressed support for WHO amid the pandemic.

CRITICISMS

• Reluctance to declare global health emergency:The WHO has been criticized mainly for not stating that the COVID-19 outbreak was a pandemic until significantly after it had clearly became one. An independent panel report said that the global pandemic alert system defective and the WHO has been under powered to do the job.
• WHO’s initial response to COVID-19 and its exclusion of Taiwan have fuelled suspicions of China’s influence on the organisation and raises questions regarding its politicization. The USA, the largest contributor to the WHO, has first stopped its funding and later declared its withdrawal from the WHO. India’s Prime Minister has also referred to the need for transparency and accountability.
• Inadequate and continuously changing recommendations especially on usefulness of wearing masks.
• WHO’s ability to make critical decisions at the early stages of a disease outbreak is constrained as it dependent on national governments for information about disease outbreak and needs their permission to send investigators. The agency’s power is limited to providing technical assistance and issuing recommendations.
• The organisation’s responsibilities, obligations and powers with respect to infectious diseases are vaguely defined. It is not clear whether WHO’s role is one of coordination and facilitation or is it empowered for action or decision-making. This has resulted in a grey areas over the division of roles between the WHO and national governments.
• The COVAX program aims to distribute 2 billion doses of COVID-19 vaccine for free or at a reduced cost by the end of 2021, but has struggled to raise funds to subsidize the costs. The richest nations have secured billions of doses of COVID-19 vaccines, while developing economies struggle to access supplies.WHO has been ineffective in tackling vaccine nationalism.

CONCLUSION:

The WHO’s characterisation as a technical organisation, its vague mandate, limited funding, lack of defined functions, transparency issues and confusion about the extent of its “authority” over states have weakened the functioning of the organisation. There is an urgent need of reforms like depoliticization, narrower on infectious diseases, adequate powers and budget etc. Yet, the pandemic has also demonstrated why WHO is needed. When the pandemic is over, WHO must reinvent itself if such a calamity is to be prevented from re-occurrence.