The Hindu Editorial Analysis- 1st August 2024 | Current Affairs & Hindu Analysis: Daily, Weekly & Monthly - UPSC PDF Download

 The Global Struggle for a Pandemic Treaty 

Why in News?

After great fanfare and over two years of political negotiations, 194 World Health Organization (WHO) member states failed to finalise a historic Pandemic Agreement, an international treaty designed to fortify global pandemic preparedness, implement mechanisms for prevention of the same, and reduce unconscionable inequities that were painfully obvious during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What is World Health Organisation, and its objectives?

• The World Health Organization (WHO) was formed in 1948 and is a special group of the United Nations that links countries, partners, and individuals to advance health, ensure global safety, and assist the needy so that everyone, everywhere can achieve the best possible health.
• Some of the main goals of WHO are:
  • Lead global efforts to increase overall health coverage for everyone.
  • Focus on disease prevention, control, elimination, and promoting health and well-being.
  • Provide guidance on worldwide health matters, establish standards for public health, and offer technical help and backing to nations.
  • Work together with different partners, such as other UN organizations, governments, civil society groups, and businesses.

What is the governance structure and functioning of WHO?

• Membership: WHO has 194 member countries.
• World Health Assembly (WHA): The top decision-making body of WHO with representatives from all member nations.
• Secretariat: Handles the execution of policies and programs authorized by the WHA.
• Director-General: Leads the WHA and is aided by a senior management team.
• Regional Offices: WHO operates in six regions - Africa, the Americas, Southeast Asia, Europe, Eastern Mediterranean, and Western Pacific.
• Meetings: WHA convenes yearly to establish policies, sanction the budget, and appoint the Director-General.
• Funding mechanism: WHO's finances come from two primary sources:
  • Assessed contributions: Mandatory payments made by countries to join the Organization.
  • Voluntary contributions: Additional funds from Member States or other partners such as UN bodies, intergovernmental organizations, philanthropic foundations, and the private sector.

 What is the role of WHO in global health governance?

• Setting global health standards and guidelines: Helping countries deal with health challenges effectively.
• Monitoring and evaluating global health trends: Providing updates on new health issues and disease outbreaks to assist countries in getting ready and responding.
• Coordinating international health responses: Collaborating with governments, other UN agencies, and global partners to organize worldwide health responses to epidemics, disasters, and other health crises.
• Establishing health systems: Assisting countries in enhancing their health systems by enhancing access to essential medications, training healthcare workers, and constructing health facilities.
• Conducting research and development: Carrying out and encouraging research on global health concerns, focusing on finding solutions to health challenges that affect lower- and middle-income countries.
• Advocating for better health policies and funding: Pushing for policies and funding that prioritize global health concerns and ensure that health is a key aspect of development agendas.
• Offering technical assistance and capacity building: Supplying technical aid and capacity building to countries to help them create and implement effective health policies and programs.

How has WHO contributed towards improving global health?

The WHO has significantly contributed to improving global health over the past several decades. Some of its notable achievements include

• Smallpox: The World Health Organization (WHO) led the worldwide effort to eliminate smallpox, which was officially wiped out in 1980.
• Polio: WHO played a crucial role in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, resulting in a 99% decrease in global polio cases.
• Control of communicable diseases: This involves managing diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV/AIDS by implementing proven strategies and interventions.
• Health Systems Strengthening: WHO has been actively involved in enhancing healthcare systems in countries with lower and middle incomes.
• Example: 'The WHO India Country Cooperation Strategy 2019-2023: A Time of Transition' outlines WHO's plan to collaborate with India to achieve its healthcare objectives.
• Essential medicines: WHO works to ensure everyone has access to necessary medications by offering guidance on their selection, purchase, and utilization.
• Nutrition improvement: WHO strives to enhance nutrition globally by advising and aiding countries in creating national nutrition policies and initiatives.
• Emergencies and disasters: WHO provides guidance and assistance to countries during crises and coordinates international responses to disasters.
• Examine: WHO provided timely support and updates during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Mental health: WHO focuses on promoting mental well-being, preventing mental illnesses, and aiding countries in managing such conditions.
• WHO's Comprehensive Mental Health Action Plan 2013-2020
• Digital Health: WHO assists nations in utilizing digital technologies to enhance health outcomes.

What are the areas of work under India-WHO partnership?

India and WHO have a cooperative partnership in several areas of public health. Some of these areas are:

• Disease Control and Prevention: Collaboration on various disease control and prevention programs like the National program for the control of tuberculosis, the National Strategic Plan for Elimination of Malaria (2017-2022), and the National program for the control of HIV/AIDS. 
  • WHO collaborated with the Jammu and Kashmir in 2021 to identify challenges that have led to vaccine hesitancy (COVID-19) and conduct special vaccination drives to increase vaccination coverage
• Maternal and Child Health: Reducing maternal and child mortality by providing technical assistance and support. 
  • Example: Supporting the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Surakshit Matritva Abhiyan that aims to provide free and quality ante-natal care to pregnant women across India.
• Non-Communicable Diseases: WHO is working with India to prevent and control non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular disease etc.
• Traditional Medicine: WHO is working with India to promote the safe and effective use of traditional medicine.
  • Example: WHO signed an agreement with the government of India to establish WHO Global Centre for Traditional Medicine in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
• Health Research: WHO and India have a strong partnership in the area of health research.
• Digital Health: WHO is working with India to leverage the power of digital technologies to improve health outcomes. 
  • Example: To develop the National Digital Health Blueprint, which aims to create a digital health ecosystem to improve access to healthcare services in India.

What are the issues and challenges faced by WHO?

The WHO faces a number of difficulties in its working and organizational structure. Some of these challenges include:

•  Limited funding: The World Health Organization (WHO) heavily relies on donations from member countries and other contributors. This funding can be uncertain and not enough to fully support its operations. 
•  Emergence of new diseases: WHO must always watch for and deal with new and developing illnesses like COVID-19. This can strain its resources and abilities. 
•  Limited access to healthcare: Some nations lack proper healthcare systems and resources. This makes it hard for WHO to boost health results in those regions. 
•  Climate Change and health: Changes in the climate are starting to impact health. WHO faces the task of handling the health impacts of severe weather events and the health problems caused by air and water pollution. 
• Criticisms faced by WHO: 
  •  Inefficiency and bureaucracy: WHO is slow to react to health emergencies due to its bureaucratic setup and limited resources. 
  •  Example: During the Ebola outbreak in West Africa from 2014 to 2016, WHO was blamed for responding late and not understanding the seriousness of the outbreak. 
  •  Political interference: There were claims of China influencing WHO during the COVID-19 outbreak. 
  •  Lack of transparency: WHO has been accused of not being open about its decision-making and activities. 
  •  Example: How WHO managed the COVID-19 pandemic and not being clear about the origins of the virus. 
  •  Inadequate representation: WHO doesn't fully represent the concerns of all member nations, especially those in the developing world. 

What steps can be taken to make WHO more effective?

The WHO is a vital institution that plays a crucial role in addressing global health challenges. Some of the steps that can be taken to make WHO more effective are:

• Increased funding: The World Health Organization (WHO) needs more money to tackle global health issues effectively. It's important to make sure that any extra money given is not tied to specific purposes so that WHO can use it flexibly.
• Transparency in funding and accountability: Countries that are part of the WHO should be involved in deciding how the budget is spent. There should be clear rules about how data is reported and funds are used to make sure everyone is accountable.
• Leadership and governance improvement: To make things better, WHO needs to become more transparent, accountable, and effective. This might involve giving more say to poorer countries in making decisions.
• Focus on prevention and readiness: Instead of just dealing with health crises as they happen, WHO should work more on preventing them from happening in the first place. This includes making sure the process for declaring a global health emergency is strong.
• Global plan for handling diseases and pandemics: There should be a worldwide system that helps countries deal with diseases better. It should give guidance on how to handle health crises effectively and set up a way to watch for outbreaks using new technology.