Approach:
- Intro – mention the issues in recent times.
- Then discuss how the credibility is affected.
- Conclusion
In last couple of months, this has been in headlines in global media that WHO has been accused of hiding information about coronavirus’ origin, spread and extent of disease. The apex body to deal globally with health-related issues has been blamed for its lackadaisical approach in responding to the crisis that has claimed millions of lives across the globe.
Another major criticism that WHO has faced in last couple of months is its betrayal of expected neutrality. The body has been seen to be side-lining with China. This is against the bond of trust that people repose in global institutions.
WHO’s responsibility as a global institution, hence, is to stand up to that trust global citizenry has reposed in it and act in general welfare of humanity. The body has to have no personal or private interest as well as national preferences. In tune with global imagination of such institutions, they have to be neutral to nationalities and think in terms of human welfare only.
The image that such news circulations have created about WHO strengthens doubtfulness of people in general. There is a lack of transparency for which WHO has been blamed. It is being argued that WHO has ignored its professional commitments to fit in with China in return of quid-pro-quo. This lack of timely action on the part of WHO and the shielding it has provided to China from global criticism has led to loss of faith and trust of people in general across the globe.
This public perception is not something that is limited to ideas only. This has materialized into lack of credibility that nation-states repose in WHO. The US has warned of withdrawal of funds that it provides to WHO. The moral support on which WHO or any other global institution is founded upon is eroding. We are witnessing rise of national level strategies to deal with Covid-19. This will be catastrophic as the interconnectedness of the world and nature of this disease doesn’t provide the opportunity to deal with it in silos.