Facing COVID-19, World Health Organization in crisis mode

May 18, 2020

So far, it’s been difficult to judge whether the focus on the coronavirus pandemic has meant that other global health issues are being sidelined at the World Health Organization (WHO).

But there’s an even greater likelihood of this happening if the United States stops paying its contributions to the WHO, a move announced by Washington last month. In the agency’s two-year funding period for 2018-2019, the US membership fee and voluntary contributions added up to around $893 million (€818 million) — more than 14% of its budget.

Read more: When will the second wave of infections hit?

The US — specifically, President Donald Trump — has claimed that the WHO is too nice to China and too critical of the US, that China has too much influence within the organization and that the WHO was too slow to respond to the pandemic. This despite the fact that Trump himself has continuously played down both the extent of the pandemic and the danger posed by COVID-19.

But as Suerie Moon, co-director of the Global Health Center at Geneva’s Graduate Institute explained, it’s not yet clear exactly what Trump meant by his announcement. Is the US no longer prepared to pay the WHO’s fixed membership fee, which is calculated on the basis of economic performance and population size? Does Washington intend to stop making voluntary contributions? In recent years, these have made up around 75% of its total payments. And when would these changes come into effect?

Infographic showing the top 10 largest contributors to the WHO

Rethinking US support

This past weekend the Trump administration appeared to backpedal slightly on its stance, which Moon attributes to the fact that Trump’s harsh criticism has caused it to lose influence on the international stage. Broadcaster Fox News ran a report on a letter drafted by the government, saying it was prepared to pay a fixed membership fee equal to China’s contribution. In 2020, this has been calculated at $57.4 million (€52.6 million).

Later, Trump tweeted that several concepts were under discussion, including one that would see the US pay 10% of its previous payments. Based on its membership fees for the years 2018 and 2019, that figure would amount to roughly $44.7 million.

The fact is, as of April 30, neither the US nor China had paid their WHO membership fees for 2020, which were due on January 1. This, however, is a recurring problem for the organization: Germany, for example, has so far only paid half of its yearly fee. Unlike China, however, the US is also behind with fees from previous years.

Funding cut ‘extremely shortsighted’

The US decision to cut funding could have wide-ranging consequences, said Moon, using as example the global fight against polio. This is a key issue for Washington, which has in the past consistently supported the initiative with its voluntary contributions. If these contributions are cut, Moon expects projects — such as those in which people go door-to-door to vaccinate children against polio — will suffer the consequences.

Read more: In Germany, vaccine fears spark conspiracy theories

“Oftentimes the polio surveillance system is the same system that’s being used to detect outbreaks of other kinds of infectious disease,” she said. “These facilities are not only dedicated to polio; they can be quickly repurposed to help detect, for example, cases of COVID-19.” In this light, she called the US decision to suspend WHO payments “extremely shortsighted and extremely dangerous.”

Moon doesn’t think the US criticism of the WHO’s attitude toward China during the pandemic is justified. She stressed that the agency had to act very cautiously in its handling of the issue, with pandemic being a highly sensitive political topic for China.

“The most important task they [WHO] had was to secure the cooperation of the Chinese government, and also to make sure that the government was sharing as much information as possible,” she said. It’s no coincidence that China refused access to a team of experts from the United States, whereas a WHO team was the first to be allowed into the country in mid-February.

Pandemic a wake-up call

For Thomas des Garets Geddes, a research associate at the China-focused Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin, the diplomatic aspect doesn’t justify the WHO director-general singling out China’s response to the pandemic as being very positive. Speaking with DW, Geddes said that “such excessive and partly misleading praise was unnecessary and wrong.”

Read more: Is Brazil the new COVID-19 epicenter?

Moon, however, believes this response reveals one of the WHO’s fundamental problems. “The organization cannot really risk offending its funders. It’s not able to be as vocal or as critical as sometimes we may need the WHO to be,” she said.

“What this pandemic has done is really woken up the world to what a huge threat a virus can pose — a security threat, an economic threat, not just a health threat,” said Moon. “And [it has shown] the critical importance of having an organization that is reliable, stable, supported, one that has enough political leeway to be vocal and critical of its member states when it needs to be.”

Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up

Welcome back!

Shops across Europe were forced to close their doors to prevent the spread of COVID-19, including this fashion store on Makarios Avenue in downtown Nicosia, Cyprus. A stay-at-home order had been in place on the island since late March. On May 4 President Nicos Anastasiades allowed construction sites and small retail stores to open again. People should be able to move freely again on May 21.

Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up

Beach days are back

People in Portugal are now able to enjoy strolling along the beach again. Under the country’s state of emergency, which was introduced on March 18, beaches were shut, along with non-essential businesses and restaurants. People were still able to go outdoors and exercise, but now have more freedom to go to shops and hairdressers. However, face masks are still required in closed spaces.

Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up

Time for a trim

Hairdressers were also allowed to reopen in Greece on May 4, including this salon in Athens. Other businesses to open up after a six-week lockdown include florists, bookstores and other small stores. Restaurants and bars will have to wait until the end of the month. Greeks can also leave their homes without needing a form stating their reason, but face masks are mandatory in public transport.

Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up

Face mask to ride

Rules requiring face masks on public transport are now commonplace throughout Europe. In Hungary’s capital Budapest, transport workers were offering travelers masks at Nyugati Square. Budapest remains under stricter restrictions than the rest of the country. Other cities can begin to open up some stores, museums and public spaces.

Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up

Out and about

Public spaces in Spain had been deserted. For 48 days residents were not allowed to leave their homes except for food, medical reasons, or to walk the dog. Restrictions and social distancing rules are still strict, but people are finally able to go out for exercise. People in the capital Madrid pounced on the opportunity.

Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up

Back to work

Italy was also under an extremely strict lockdown, with people only allowed to go out for very limited reasons. But on May 4 it slowly began to allow some people to return to work, under social distancing conditions. Workers at a shoe factory in Castelnuovo Vomano, in Teramo province, have to work wearing face masks and separated by plastic screens. Construction workers can also return to sites.

Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up

Paying respects

The lifting of restrictions in Italy also allows up to 15 people to attend a funeral, albeit while wearing masks. During its lockdown, Italy banned funerals to stop the spread of COVID-19, which denied many people the chance to say goodbye to loved ones.

Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up

School’s in

Austria is making sure 100,000 final-year students are able to return to school before their leavers’ exams. Teachers like Richard Fischer in Vienna handed out medical face masks to students before the start of lessons. The country is also allowing people to visit relatives in care homes again. Small shops and other businesses were already allowed to reopen on April 14.

Coronavirus: Europe slowly begins to wake up

Up and running

In Germany professional footballers have been in training, despite competitions currently being suspended. Like other clubs, Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich have been putting their players through their paces, albeit only in small groups. The Bundesliga is targeting May 15 to restart, the first major European league to do so. Fans won’t be allowed into stadiums, however.

Author: Alex Matthews