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WHO 'unfit for health emergencies' WHO 'unfit for health emergencies'
(about 1 hour later)
The Ebola crisis proves the World Health Organization (WHO) lacks the "capacity and culture" to deal with global health emergencies, says a damning independent report, commissioned by the WHO itself.The Ebola crisis proves the World Health Organization (WHO) lacks the "capacity and culture" to deal with global health emergencies, says a damning independent report, commissioned by the WHO itself.
The review panel says WHO was too slow to act to get on top of the deadly virus which has now killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa.The review panel says WHO was too slow to act to get on top of the deadly virus which has now killed more than 11,000 people in West Africa.
And it calls for an urgent overhaul of the organisation.And it calls for an urgent overhaul of the organisation.
WHO says it has plans for reform.WHO says it has plans for reform.
It has already admitted that it waited too long to declare Ebola a public health emergency of international concern.It has already admitted that it waited too long to declare Ebola a public health emergency of international concern.
WHO Director General, Margaret Chan, admitted in May it had been "overwhelmed" by the Ebola outbreak, saying it "shook this organization to its core".
InactionInaction
The disease began spreading in December 2013, but it took until August 2014 for WHO to sound the alarm. By that point, more than 1,000 people had died of the virus.The disease began spreading in December 2013, but it took until August 2014 for WHO to sound the alarm. By that point, more than 1,000 people had died of the virus.
The death toll now stands at more than 11,000.The death toll now stands at more than 11,000.
According to the report, WHO lacked a culture of rapid decision-making.According to the report, WHO lacked a culture of rapid decision-making.
In the early stages of the Ebola crisis, messages were sent about the seriousness of the situation but these "either did not reach senior leaders or senior leaders did not recognise their significance".In the early stages of the Ebola crisis, messages were sent about the seriousness of the situation but these "either did not reach senior leaders or senior leaders did not recognise their significance".
"There seems to have been a hope that the crisis could be managed by good diplomacy rather than by scaling up emergency action," the report says."There seems to have been a hope that the crisis could be managed by good diplomacy rather than by scaling up emergency action," the report says.
WHO was also criticised for failing to keep governments and the public up to speed about the extent and severity of the outbreak.WHO was also criticised for failing to keep governments and the public up to speed about the extent and severity of the outbreak.
But the review praised WHO for playing a critical role in pushing forward work to find new treatments and cures for Ebola.But the review praised WHO for playing a critical role in pushing forward work to find new treatments and cures for Ebola.
And it said WHO should be given the job of leading future health emergency responses - be that for Ebola or an outbreak of pandemic flu, for example.And it said WHO should be given the job of leading future health emergency responses - be that for Ebola or an outbreak of pandemic flu, for example.
It suggests an immediate contribution from all member countries towards a $100 million special outbreak response fund, and says WHO should establish a Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response.It suggests an immediate contribution from all member countries towards a $100 million special outbreak response fund, and says WHO should establish a Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response.
The panel's head, Dame Barbara Stocking, former chief executive of the charity Oxfam, said the WHO must now be made fit for the task.The panel's head, Dame Barbara Stocking, former chief executive of the charity Oxfam, said the WHO must now be made fit for the task.
"To me, coming from somewhere like Oxfam which is an emergency culture, you are very much, if you like, on the front foot. You are always trying to prevent a situation coming through or grab it when it starts and really get it under control very fast and those are some of the internal changes that have to be made at WHO.""To me, coming from somewhere like Oxfam which is an emergency culture, you are very much, if you like, on the front foot. You are always trying to prevent a situation coming through or grab it when it starts and really get it under control very fast and those are some of the internal changes that have to be made at WHO."
The WHO said it was "already moving forward on some of the panel's recommendations including the development of the global health emergency workforce and the contingency fund to ensure the necessary resources are available to mount an initial response".The WHO said it was "already moving forward on some of the panel's recommendations including the development of the global health emergency workforce and the contingency fund to ensure the necessary resources are available to mount an initial response".
Dr Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust, said: "The recommendations outlined by the independent panel should give WHO the mandate it needs to lead the global response to future health crises. The proposal to establish a WHO Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response is encouraging.Dr Jeremy Farrar, Director of the Wellcome Trust, said: "The recommendations outlined by the independent panel should give WHO the mandate it needs to lead the global response to future health crises. The proposal to establish a WHO Centre for Emergency Preparedness and Response is encouraging.
"It's essential that this new body is accountable and can show leadership in the face of emerging health threats, with the authority and independence to act quickly when needed. The support of the global community is also crucial if we are to avert another catastrophe on the scale of Ebola.""It's essential that this new body is accountable and can show leadership in the face of emerging health threats, with the authority and independence to act quickly when needed. The support of the global community is also crucial if we are to avert another catastrophe on the scale of Ebola."