Europeans working with US to restructure WHO amid rising credibility concerns

European governments are working with the United States on plans to overhaul the World Health Organisation, international media reported citing a European official. This comes after Washington questioned the global organisation’s management and accused it concealing information related to COVID-19. Four major European countries – Britain, France, Germany and Italy- were already in discussion with the US at a technical level about the change.

Washington's accusations

An official, speaking to an international media outlet on conditions of anonymity revealed that the move was aimed to ensure WHO’s “independence”, apparently pointing out to US President Donald Trump’s allegation of WHO being biased towards China at the start of the pandemic. In April, Trump had temporarily halted the funds to WHO and offered a probing in its functioning.

Read: American Airlines Bans Man Who Refused To Wear Face Mask

Read: WHO Now Looking Into Interim Data Collected By Countries On HIV Drugs For COVID-19

The new reforms would reportedly include altering WHO’s funding system to make it more “long term”. Currently, the global health body was operating on a two-year basis. The official reportedly said that that the current system “could hurt” the organisation’s independence if it was raising funds in the middle of a health crisis.

Though the European nations have largely shielded the WHO from US’ criticisms, a clip from the European health ministers’ conference revealed that Europe was in favour of reform. Speaking at the video conference last week,  German and French minister reportedly said that an “evaluation and reformation of WHO was needed. In addendum, they also vouched for the increased influence of European nations’ in the WHO. "The EU and it's MS (member states) should play a bigger role at the global level," they said.

Read: WHO Scientist Hopes For Vaccine End Of Next Year

Read: WHO Says Use 'breakthrough' Covid Drug Dexamethasone Only Under Supervision; Cautions

Trump's threat to WHO

Last month, Trump made public a letter written to the WHO chief in which he gave a 30-day deadline to the UN health agency to make major improvements, warning that otherwise the temporary funding freeze will be made permanent. Trump said that his administration’s probe into WHO’s COVID-19 response confirmed its “alarming lack of independence” from China.

“I will make temporary freeze of United States funding to the World Health Organisation permanent and reconsider our membership in the organisation,” wrote Trump. However, undeterred by the threat, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the UN health agency is currently focussed on fighting the pandemic with every tool at its disposal.

With inputs from agencies