Agence France-PresseMar 11, 2021 09:58:57 IST
In the year since the World Health Organization described the Covid-19 revolution as a pandemic, they have resisted strong criticism but it has also been hailed with praise. This is a recap of the main complaints and recommendations that the UN health agency has faced since the Covid-19 revolution that first surfaced in China in December 2019.
Action too slow
From the outset, the WHO opposed criticism of its abuse of the crisis.
Some have suggested that it took too long to recognize that the virus was easily transmitted between humans. But most of the criticism has focused on the first confidence in declaring a global health crisis, and in particular the use of the word “pandemic”.
WHO team members Marion Koopmans (R) and Peter Ben Embarek (C) say goodbye to their Chinese group Liang Wannian (L), following the WHO-China Study Press Conference held at the end of the mission WHO in Wuhan. Image credit: AP
The WHO on 31 December 2019 learned of a secret pneumonia upheaval in Wuhan and has reiterated that it will jump to immediate action.
But it was not until 30 January 2020 that WHO leader Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus declared the situation a Public Health Emergency of international concern – the highest level of warning under international health rules.
Leading WHO experts had gathered a week earlier, but initially did not agree on whether the PHEIC label was warranted at a time when, outside China, there were fewer than 100 Covid-19 cases and no deaths .
And while the PHEIC is technically the highest level of warning, many countries did not start taking action until Tedros last used the word “pandemic” on March 11th.
The word, which does not appear in the official international health warning system, seems to have aptly reflected the urgency of the situation, sending large parts of the planet to lockdown. .
Kowtowing to China
From the outset, the DA health agency met with criticism for praising Beijing’s over-swift response to the crisis.
He was also lambed to allow more than a year to pass before he was able to send in a team of international experts to investigate the origins of the virus, and was accused of allowing China to determine the parameters of their mission.
Former US President Donald Trump has criticized the WHO as a “puppet” in Beijing, which his administration and others have accused of covering the beginning of the uprising and allowing the virus to spread. all over the world.
The United States – traditionally the WHO ‘s largest donor – began to withdraw from the group as well.
While that process was immediately reversed when Trump’s replacement, Joe Biden, entered the White House in January, his administration has also expressed “serious concerns” about early decisions. WHO expert mission to China.
Mixed messages
Much of the criticism leveled at the WHO has revolved around inappropriate and moving recommendations, particularly on the usefulness of wearing face masks to protect against the release of Covid-19.
Early in the pandemic, when surgical masks were scarce, the DA group encouraged the removal of stocks that were available to health workers and those caring for patients. Covid.
At the same time, he also suggested again that a face mask worn by the general public would do more harm than good, as they could lead to a false sense of security, and also people rubbing against larger.
On 6 April 2020, the WHO reiterated that general use of face masks was not necessary unless other protective measures such as physical distance were possible.
It was not until June 5 that the WHO recommended wearing face masks in high-density areas in regions hardened by Covid-19.
The World Health Organization has also opposed criticism for not calling for border closures or interruptions to international air travel to prevent the virus from spreading.
Communication is king
While the WHO may have been criticized for reacting too slowly, it has been praised for its considerable communication efforts.
From the very beginning, the organization has hosted a gathering of press conferences and international meetings of political experts and leaders, while providing regular updates on social media.
Tedros, along with other top WHO officials, has spoken to the media and at other public events almost daily for more than a year, beating home suggestions and rejecting criticism.
The WHO leader, who is also omnipresent on social media, is also surrounded by a gathering of celebrities to help spread the group’s message about fighting the pandemic.
The group put down some of the criticism against it by launching an independent probe into the global pandemic response, including its own actions.
Nobel Peace Prize?
The WHO has been wholeheartedly praised, especially by poor countries, for its support to the country’s dispersed response, providing protective gear, tests and other items where needed.
But the Covax vaccine distribution campaign, which aims to ensure fair access to Covid ‘s jobs around the world, has received the most attention.
The scheme aims to distribute two billion doses this year, and aims to vaccinate health workers and the 20 percent of the most vulnerable population in the 92 poorest countries. participating.
WHO and the campaign’s supporters – Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparatory Innovations (CEPI) – have even been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.