A report commissioned by WHO itself finds deficiencies in the organization’s capacity and culture to deal with global health emergencies.
The Ebola crisis proves that World Health Organization (WHO) acted very slowly to get on top of the deadly virus which till now has killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa.
The Review’s findings :
- The disease began spreading in December 2013, but it took until August 2014 for WHO to sound the alarm.
- The death toll now stands at more than 11,000.
- WHO failed to keep governments and the public up to speed about the extent and severity of the outbreak.
- the review praised WHO for playing a critical role in pushing forward work to find new treatments for Ebola.
Review also suggests that WHO should be given the job of leading future health emergency responses and it calls for an urgent overhaul of the organisation.
The suggestions :
- WHO should establish a Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response.
- WHO should create a special outbreak response fund with immediate contribution from all member countries towards a $100 million.
Dr Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust, said “ the support of the global community was crucial if we are to avert another catastrophe on the scale of Ebola.”
