The World Health Organization’s governing board on Monday agreed to form a new committee that will help speed up its response to health emergencies like COVID-19.
The UN health agency has faced criticism for its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the speed of its response to early cases, which may have delayed detection and allowed the virus to spread. Some disease experts say governments and the WHO should avoid repeating such early missteps as with other outbreaks such as monkeypox. Read full story.
The resolution, passed unanimously at the annual meeting of the 34-member executive board, would set up a new standing committee on health emergency prevention, preparedness and response to help address some of the perceived shortfalls.
Formal WHO meetings are sometimes held at intervals of months, and as part of the new initiative, the new body will meet immediately after the Director-General declares a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) – a decision that will allow additional funding, public health triggers a call for measures. and a series of recommendations aimed at controlling disease spread.
“It was perhaps one of the weakest points during the last pandemic that the member states or governing bodies did not have the opportunity to consult immediately after this PHEIC declaration of the last pandemic,” said Austria’s Clemens Martin Auer, who proposed the proposal. was kept. Reported to the Executive Board.
He said the new committee would also monitor the WHO’s health emergencies program in normal times to ensure it is fit to respond.
“I think the Standing Committee on Health Emergencies will be an essential part of the new global architecture,” he said.
The United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and Japan were among the co-sponsors of the initiative.
