Tatsat Chronicle Magazine

The World Health Organization has called for global pandemic governance

September 22, 2021
WHO

The World Health Organization called for global governance and suggested that a Global Health Board be established “under the auspices of the G20

The World Health Organization (WHO) held a Pan-European Commission on Health and Sustainable Development, which urged for global governance and recommended the creation of a Global Health Board “under the auspices of the G20.” The Commission made the comments at a press conference held on Friday at the WHO Regional Office in Copenhagen.

According to WHO, Covid-19 revealed how some governance mechanisms failed to safeguard society from the pandemic’s worst effects, with some countries resorting to political rather than scientific remedies, according to the Xinhua news agency.

“It is critical to strengthen the position of health policy in overall policy-making by nations and international organisations by establishing a Global Health and Finance Board at the G20, recognising that health is a global public good,” Mario Monti, the Commission’s Chair, stated.

The Commission also urged for regional governance groups such as the Pan-European Network for Disease Control and the Pan-European Health Threats Council to promote data-sharing and data-interoperability platforms across the huge Region. Other recommendations include a demand for more investment and innovation in Europe’s health systems, which “proven faulty and unfit for purpose” during the pandemic, as well as a call for countries in the region to tackle inequality and therefore “reduce polarisation in society.”

In a press release, the Commission stated that Covid-19 demonstrated that single-country solutions are insufficient to combat the spread of communicable diseases in today’s hyper-connected, globalised world, and that such crises can only be effectively addressed through coordinated international action. “We are calling for action at all levels of society to repair shattered communities, protect global health, innovate and invest in health systems, and improve European and global governance,” said Hans Henri P. Kluge, WHO Europe’s regional director.