World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations responsible for international public health. Its main objective as ensuring “the attainment by all peoples of the highest possible level of health.” It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with six semi-autonomous regional offices and 150 field offices worldwide.
The WHO was established in 7 April 1948, which is commemorated as World Health Day The WHO incorporated the assets, personnel, and duties of the League of Nations‘ Health Organisation and the Office International d’Hygiène Publique, including the International Classification of Diseases.
Where does the Funding of WHO come from?
WHO is funded by a large number of countries, philanthropic organisations, UN Organisations etc. Rough distribution works ou as under:
- Voluntary contributions by member states – 35.41%.
- Assessed contributions – 15.66%.
- Philanthropic organisations – 9.33%
- UN organisations – 8.1%
The balance is contributed by other myriad sources. Countries’ contribution to the WHO depends upon the size of their economy. In fact it is left to them to decide and they can decide not to pay also. The US contributes the largest chunk, which is nearly 15 % of the WHO funding, and is nearly 31% of the contribution by all countries. India contributes nearly 1% of the member states’ donations.
How does the WHO prioritize use these Funds?
WHO projects is prioritized every year. In the pecking order maximum funding goes to the least developed countries and minimum goes to the most developed. The focus is largely public health and disease eradication through vaccination and immunization programmes.
The WHO India Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) was developed by Ministry of Health and WHO India Country Office. The CCS strategic priorities are to accelerate progress of Universal Health Coverage, promote health and wellness, better protect the populations against health emergencies and enhance India’s global leadership in health.
India and WHO in fighting CORONA 19 Pandemic
India faces a huge challenge in fighting COVID 19 primarily because of its large population, inadequate infrastructure in the health care sector, capability of surveillance and contact tracing etc. even though India has been largely non- compliant of the WHO guidelines on surveillance and testing. India has largely built its own strategy keeping in mind the resources vis a vis the challenges. The WHO has been largely supportive of India’s efforts.
Criticism of the WHO by various countries and cutting of the financial support by the Trump administration
The WHO has been seen to be slow in warning the world of the preventive steps to be taken. While most countries closed down air travel at the first stage, WHO took a long time to issue advisories against travel and trade with China, from where it originated. The number of cases piling up in China was huge, yet as on 30 January the WHO Director General Dr Tedros Abhanom declared that there is very little evidence to suggest that the virus can be transmitted amongst humans and advised against travel ban from China.
US Stops Funding of WHO
The humongous public suffering caused by corona virus, virtual global lock down and loss in business and livelihood on hiding and covering up by China and also a very cautious approach by WHO bending in favor of China drew the ire of global community. By the first week of April 2020, corona cases reported world over were over 2 million including nearly one lakh deaths. USA was the worst sufferer with over 6 lakh cases and over 26,000 deaths. President Donald Trump announced on 15 April 2020 that he would withdraw funding of the WHO, which had mismanaged the spread of corona virus.