WHO Mulls Closing Key Moscow Office As ‘Appalling’ Conflict Continues In Ukraine - Forbes

rumputhijauau.blogspot.com

Topline

The World Health Organization on Tuesday debated acting against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine after European members called a meeting to discuss reprisals targeting Moscow, measures which, if approved by members, could force the typically apolitical organization to take a more overt political stance.

Key Facts

Forty three members of the WHO’s 53-country Europe region—which covers a wide geographic area and includes Israel, Russia and parts of Central Asia—called the meeting to discuss the “health emergency” in Ukraine and nearby countries, stemming from Russian aggression.

The group, which includes all 27 EU countries, proposed a resolution condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and criticizing attacks on healthcare facilities.

The resolution also asks the WHO’s Regional Director for Europe, Dr. Hans Kluge, to suspend all regional meetings, conferences and seminars in Russia until the conflict is resolved peacefully and to relocate a major regional office to an area outside of Russia.

Moving the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, which is based in Moscow, would “safeguard the technical cooperation and assistance” it provides to all members, the resolution said.

Russia, a regional member, opposed the resolution and its representative Andrei Plutnitsky said the WHO should “stick to the scope of its mandate” and not “politicize” healthcare.

What To Watch For

A vote. While the WHO ordinarily makes decisions by consensus, voting is allowed if consensus cannot be reached.

Big Number

3,000. That’s at least how many people have died in Ukraine because they haven’t been able to access treatment for chronic diseases like HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, cancer and depression, Kluge said. At least 3,382 civilians have died—including 235 children—13 million displaced and 16 million in need of assistance, he said.

Crucial Quote

Kluge said the direct impact of the war after two months is “appalling” and we have yet to “see the long-term health impacts of the war unfold.” Kluge said these long-term consequences include missed vaccinations, medicines shortages, health workforce burnout and an increase in sexual and gender-based violence. “The effects of this conflict will cascade down through generations to come.”

Key Background

Most United Nations organizations have very specific mandates and will only act within those well-defined parameters. The WHO in particular has sought to maintain a strictly apolitical role, something it was heavily criticized for during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic, as well as other outbreaks like Ebola in 2014. The WHO has worked with Ukraine throughout the invasion and said it has documented 200 attacks on healthcare facilities, which would breach international law if intentional, adding that it is gathering evidence for a possible war crimes investigation.