The Covid emergency has nothing to do with it, at least not directly. The World Health Organization (WHO), as its director, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, has said, is in danger of going meeting failure, thus remaining without funds and prospects to avert possible and future pandemics.
Because the World Health Organization risks bankruptcy
The World Health Organization cannot continue to do its job if member states and donors do not agree to a proposal for increased funding that gives the international health organization greater autonomy to fight possible and future pandemics. These are the reasons, as explained by the WHO Head, which could lead to failure.
“If the current funding model continues, WHO is doomed to fail,” said Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during his meeting with delegates in Geneva.
Unfortunately, the Covid-19 pandemic risks not being an isolated case (Bill Gates himself recently sounded an alarm about it). For this reason, today more than ever, it is very important not to be caught unprepared.
How much money does it take to save the WHO
The first obstacle to overcome, in order to avoid any crisis, is of an economic and financial nature. More funds are needed, greater resources to be allocated to the protection of world public health. Specifically, WHO has asked member states and donors for an additional 480 million dollars for the next budget period (i.e. more than 420 million euros for the next two years). To this must be added 430 million dollars – approximately 380 million euros – for its emergency program intended to coordinate the global response to Covid-19.
The budget available to the WHO, for the period from 2020 to 2021, was originally $ 5.8 billion (more than € 5 billion), but – for reasons that are easy to guess – it has been significantly increased. after the outbreak of the Covid pandemic in the world.
WHO, the knots to be solved before refinancing
Despite the requests made, and clearly motivated by the Organization, it is not certain that the requested funds will be ensured for the next few years.
Indeed, the WHO board of directors is meeting this week (with some members present in Geneva and others attending online), but – according to what emerged – on the budget reforms it seems it has not yet reached consensus among the members.
In this regard, Tredos said: “The paradigm shift in global health that is needed now must be accompanied by a paradigm shift in funding”. In order for things to evolve for the better, therefore, it is necessary to invest and guarantee more resources, today but also – and above all – in the future.
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