By MONICA KAYOMBO,Lusaka,Zambia
THE World Health Organisation ( WHO) says it regrets the notification given by the United States to withdraw from WHO and has since expressed concern that the decision makes the world less safe. In a statement issued yesterday from Geneva, WHO says the concerns by the US will be tabled during the Executive Board meeting and the World Health Assembly at its annual meeting slated for May, this year.
The Organisation hopes that the US will in the future return to active participation in the WHO as the Organisation remains steadfastly committed to working with all countries in pursuit of its core mission and constitutional mandate to attain highest standard of health as a fundamental right for all people.
It reads that WHO takes note of the government of the US statement that WHO’ trashed and turnished ‘ and insulted it, and compromised it’s independence.
As we do with every Member State, WHO has always sought to engage with the US in good faith, with full respect for its sovereignty,” the statement reads in part.
WHO says the US cited as one of the reasons for its decision, the alleged failure by WHO during the COVID-19 pandemic, including obstructing the timely and accurate sharing of critical information and that those failures were concealed.
WHO says even though no Organisation or Government got everything right, it stands by its response to the unprecedented global health crisis.
The statement says WHO acted quickly, shared all information it had rapidly and transparently with the world, and advised member States on the basis of the best available evidence. It says it appreciates the continued support of all member countries in achieving its mandate to pursue solutions to the world’s biggest health threats both communicable and non-communicable.
It has thanked the US as a founding member for her significant contribution to many of WHO’s greatest achievements including the eradication of smallpox, and progress against many other public health threats including polio, HIV, Ebola, Influenza, Tuberculosis, Malaria, neglected tropical diseases, Antimicrobial Resistance ( AMR) food safety and more.
It says upon receiving the fisrt case of pneumonia in Wuhan, China on 31, December, 2019, WHO asked China for more information and activated its emergency incident management system.
“By the time the first first death was reported from China on January 11, 2020, WHO had already alerted the world through formal channels, convened global experts, and published comprehensive guidance for countries on how to protect their populations and health systems,” the statement reads in part.
It say as a specialized agency of the United Nations ( UN), governed by 194 Member States, WHO has always been and remains impartial and exists to serve all countries, with respect for their sovereignty, and without fear or favour.
It says it appreciates the support of all Member States and continue to engage them within the established framework.
Most notably, WHO Member States last year adopted the WHO Pandemic Agreement, which once ratified will be a landmark instrument of international law to keep the world safer from future pandemics,” the statement reads in part.
WHO member countries are currently negotiating an annex to the WHO Pandemic Agreement, the Pathogen Access and Benefit Sharing system, which if adopted will promote rapid detection and sharing of pathogens with pandemic potential, and equitable and timely access to vaccines, therapeutics and diagnostics.
On January 22, this year the US department of State announced the US completion of it’s withdrawal from the WHO for alleged mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
