WHO SEARO Leadership: Politics Should Not Trump People’s Health

In early November this yr, the Regional Committee of the World Well being Group (WHO) South East Asia Regional Workplace (SEARO) will meet in New Delhi to appoint its subsequent Regional Director. The selection of candidate for this crucial put up can be based mostly on voting behind closed doorways by the organisation’s eleven member nations, distinguished amongst these being India, Indonesia, Thailand and Bangladesh. 

Now, why ought to anybody actually care who turns into the following Regional Director of WHO SEARO, which is one out of the six WHO Areas across the globe?

To start with, the choice can have main implications for well being insurance policies throughout the South East Asia Area, house to 1 / 4 of the world’s inhabitants. Aside from bearing 30 % of the worldwide illness burden, SEARO additionally accounts for the best proportion of worldwide mortality (26%) as a result of triple menace of infectious illnesses, non-communicable illnesses and accidents. 

Almost one-third of the world’s youngster deaths happen within the area, whereas the common neonatal and toddler mortality charges are additionally increased than the worldwide averages. Once more, greater than one-fifth of the world’s grownup mortality burden was resulting from communicable illnesses occurring within the area.

In different phrases, failure to decide on a reliable and skilled candidate for the WHO’s regional workplace will imply playing with the destiny of tens of millions of lives within the area. 

The 2 candidates within the race to turn into the following Regional Director of WHO SEARO are Shambhu Acharya from Nepal, a public well being specialist with excellent technical and public well being credentials, and Saima Wazed from Bangladesh, who occurs to be Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s daughter and is skilled in youngster psychology. Sections of public well being specialists are involved that Wazed lacks technical, public well being, and administrative expertise required to function the regional director.   

There are three primary causes for concern:

• The WHO SEARO is anticipated to steer public well being responses on the regional degree. A poorly certified candidate appointed as regional director may carry reputational danger for the WHO and real-world danger for all nations within the area within the occasion of any well being emergency that may emerge in any of the SEARO nations.
• The appointment of the daughter of a main minister to a prime administrative place via “a political push” could be unprecedented within the UN system.
• Underneath an unwritten code of conduct, prime WHO officers are anticipated to be country-neutral. As UN staff, they’re supposed to work for the worldwide curiosity. There are apprehensions whether or not Wazed will have the ability to “distance” herself from Bangladesh’s international coverage and home politics.

Many within the world well being group are at present alarmed at how Bangladesh and Saima Wazed herself are lobbying intensely for her to be elected. India too seems to be leaning in direction of supporting her candidature, primarily for geopolitical causes. If that is true, the Authorities of India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi supporting PM Hasina’s daughter for a delicate place whereas decrying dynastic politics at house will clearly be a double customary.

Within the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, which resulted in devastating lack of life and financial repercussions, a high-level committee was established to evaluate and prepared the WHO for its supposed position. The committee pressured the significance of competency and aims, moderately than political issues, within the appointment of Regional Administrators. In its view, an open choice course of that appoints candidates based mostly on a mix of technical experience, managerial aptitude, and political acumen, to prioritise collective well being over short-term nationwide pursuits, needs to be the first targets of the member states for its personal benefits.

It additionally pressured the pressing have to curb the political manoeuvring that has characterised previous elections and making certain the appointment of essentially the most appropriate candidates for these more and more pivotal roles.

Within the upcoming election, will probably be crucial for the WHO SEARO’s member nations to decide on and prioritise people based mostly on advantage of the candidates and in addition study classes from the dire expertise of the Covid-19 pandemic and additional strengthen the power of the area to reply successfully to many well being challenges dealing with the area. Choosing the proper candidate for the WHO’s regional prime job can also be necessary to make sure that the group fulfils its personal mandate with each integrity and competence.

The writer is the former United Nations World Meals Programme Consultant, India, Yemen & Egypt.