USA WILL PAY OVER $200 MILLION TO World Health Organization (WHO)

Download PDF

For : GS-2: International Relations, International Institution

CONTEXT:

TRUMP Withdrawal from WHO:

WHO as puppet of China: Trump had pulled the U.S. out of the WHO, which he had called a ‘puppet of China’’.
- This process would have been complete in mid-2021,
- but Mr. Biden reversed it hours after assuming office last month.

BIDEN TO JOIN WHO:

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced that USA would pay the World Health Organization (WHO) $200 million by the end of this month.
The announcement is significant as former U.S. President Donald Trump had begun the process of withdrawing the U.S. from the WHO, a process stopped by his successor, President Joe Biden.
United States intends to pay over 200 million in assessed and current obligations to the WHO.
Mr. Blinken told Foreign Ministers of UN Security Council member countries, at an online meeting to discuss the response to the pandemic.
- External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar was also part of the meeting.

SIGNIFICANCE:

Financial obligations: “This is a key step forward in fulfilling our financial obligations as a WHO member and it reflects our renewed commitment to ensuring the WHO has the support it needs to lead the global response to the pandemic — even as we work to reform it for the future.”
- The U.S. is the largest funder of the WHO, contributing more than 15% of its total funds.
Multilateralism: “The U.S. believes that multilateralism, the United Nations, the World Health Organization, are essential
- Not just as an effective international COVID-19 health and humanitarian response but
- Also building stronger global health capacity and security for the future.”
Financial support to COVAX, GAVI and CEPI: “We plan to provide significant financial support to COVAX through Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. And we’ll work to strengthen other multilateral initiatives involved in the global COVID-19 response — for example
- Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations and the
- Global Fund to Fight AIDS,
- Tuberculosis, and
- Malaria
Human Rights Concern: No country should be allowed to use COVID-19 as an excuse to violate human rights or fundamental freedoms.

ON CHINA

Transparency: USA called for transparency on outbreak data, saying countries should participate in “transparent and robust processes” in their prevention and response to health emergencies.
Investigation: “The ongoing expert investigation about the origins of this pandemic — and the report that will be issued — must be independent, with findings based on science and facts and free from interference.”.

WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION (WHO):

WHO is a United Nations’ specialized agency.
It was founded in 1948.
HQ: Geneva, Switzerland.
There are 194 Member States, 150 country offices, six regional offices.
Who began functioning on April 7, 1948 – a date now being celebrated every year as World Health Day.
The WHO provides leadership on the matters of global health, research agenda, setting norms and standards, articulating evidence-based policy options, providing technical support to countries, and also monitors and assess health trends.

Objectives

To act as the directing and coordinating agency on international health work.
To establish and maintain collaboration with the United Nations, specialized agencies, governmental health
administrations, professional groups, as well as such other organizations (NGO) as may be deemed appropriate.
To provide assistance to the Governments, upon request, in strengthening health services.
To promote cooperation among scientific and professional groups that contribute to the advancement of health

SOURCE: The Hindu

MCQs:

Q. Consider the followings statements regarding World Health Organization.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

ANS: A