How Committed Is The World To A Stronger WHO?

5/22/2022 4:09:49 AM

(MENAFN- Swissinfo) Most European countries have now lifted COVID-19 restrictions, but the pandemic is far from over. China is still imposing strict lockdowns in cities such as Shanghai [picture] as the country pursues a zero-Covid strategy. Keystone / Alex Plavevski

The World health Assembly (WHA), the top decision-making body of the world's top global health agency, the World Health Organization (WHO), is meeting in person from May 22nd in Geneva. It has one week to better prepare the world for the next pandemic.

This content was published on May 22, 2022 - 10:00 May 22, 2022 - 10:00

Dorian covers the work of international organisations based in Geneva.

More from this author | French Department

“If there were a new pandemic threat this year, next year, or the year after, we would be largely in the same place as we were in December 2019,” Helen Clark, former co-chair of the Independent Panel for Pandemic Preparedness and Response (IPPPR), said at a press briefing earlier this month.

The IPPPR was established in 2020 to draw lessons from the pandemic and to suggest reforms to the WHO that would allow it to better address future health threats. Its former co-chairs published a report this month to assess the progress made.

“In terms of reforms, there have been some small steps, but to us, they remain very insufficient,” says Michel Kazatchkine, a former member of the IPPPR.

The pandemic has shone a spotlight on the WHO's role as a scientific guide on health-related issues. It has also laid bare the discrepancy between the world's sky-high expectations towards the WHO and its underfunded budget.

The WHA is expected to approve a reform of the WHO's funding. It will also try to move ahead on a much-awaited pandemic treaty. How far they will get though, will depend on how much the 194 members can align their sometimes conflicting priorities.

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