Why Does the World Health Organization (WHO) Need to Reform?

Healthful Vitality | 02/07/2023 | Why Does the World Health Organization (WHO) Need to Reform?

The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that has been at the forefront of global health initiatives for over 70 years. However, despite its numerous achievements, the WHO has faced significant criticism in recent years, with several complaints coming to the forefront. This article will explore five critical criticisms the WHO has recently faced. And, therefore, why does the world health organization (WHO) need to reform?

The 5 significant criticisms that the WHO has faced recently

1. Response to the COVID-19 pandemic

The WHO has faced criticism for responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. The organization was slow to declare the outbreak a pandemic. In addition, members accused WHO of being too closely tied to China, which was the outbreak’s epicenter. The WHO has also been criticized for not responding quickly enough to the pandemic and needing more resources to respond effectively to the crisis

2. Lack of funding

The WHO has faced criticism for shortage of funding for its response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, the organization appealed for more financial support from member states and the international community to help fund its efforts to contain the pandemic and deliver vaccines to countries in need. This shortfall has impacted the WHO’s ability to fully carry out its mandate and respond effectively to the crisis.

3. Political influence

The WHO has been accused of being too closely tied to politics. Consequently, WHO has limited its ability to take decisive action in response to global health crises. The organization has been criticized for being influenced by the interests of powerful countries. Such influence has led to a lack of accountability and transparency in its decision-making processes.

4. Response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa

The WHO faced significant criticism for its response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014. Notably, the organization needed to respond quickly enough to the outbreak and for needed more resources to effectively contain the spread of the virus. In addition, the Ebola outbreak exposed the need for a more robust and well-funded global health response mechanism. And the WHO needed to do more to address this need.

5. Lack of transparency and accountability

The WHO has faced criticism for its lack of transparency and accountability in its decision-making processes. Mainly, WHO needed to be more transparent about its decision-making processes and not be accountable to the public, leading to a lack of trust in its work.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the WHO has faced several significant criticisms in recent years. They include its response to the COVID-19 pandemic, lack of funding, political influence, and response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Besides, the need for more transparency and accountability. These criticisms highlight the need for the WHO to reform and improve its ability to respond to global health crises and to be more accountable to the public. Nevertheless, the WHO has a vital role to play in promoting and protecting the health of people around the world. Therefore, the organization must be able to address these criticisms and improve its performance in the future.

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Reference:

WHO’s pandemic response: From criticism to Nobel?