WHO is indispensable - Namibia
Disappointment, concern as US withdraws from global health body
While global health authorities have urged the US to rethink its exit from WHO, Namibia remains confident that the delicate situation will not affect its bilateral programmes with that country.
Following the announcement that the United States (US) intends to withdraw from the World Health Organisation (WHO), Namibia’s health authorities have thrown their weight behind the global health body, saying its work is "indispensable to the contemporary world where no country is safe from a health emergency if one country is afflicted by that health emergency”.
WHO last week said it regretted the decision by its top donor country, with the latter maintaining its stance that the organisation had failed to act independently from the "inappropriate political influence of WHO member states" and required "unfairly onerous payments" from the US that were disproportionate to the sums provided by other, larger countries, such as China.
"We hope that the United States will reconsider, and we really hope that there will be constructive dialogue for the benefit of everyone, for Americans but also for people around the world," WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic told reporters in Geneva last week.
Namibia's health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula defended WHO last week, saying it has done commendable work in supporting member states to manage health challenges through technical support, especially in developing countries.
“WHO has supported the African member states to contain formidable outbreaks like Ebola in West Africa, mpox, cholera, Marburg and other health emergencies. Here in Namibia, WHO supported the Ministry of Health and Social Services during the plague outbreak in the early nineties and polio in the mid-twenties, just to mention a few,” Shangula said.
Less money
Although the withdrawal of the US did not come as a surprise, Shangula said he does not expect the withdrawal to affect existing bilateral programmes between Namibia and the US.
“Namibia has bilateral funding agreements with the US in the health sector for HIV/Aids, TB and other diseases in the area of advocacy, prevention and treatment through the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR), CDC and others. All our health programmes are funded by the government, while development partners contributions amount to 30% of funding,” the minister explained.
He conceded, however, that with the US being one of the major funders, its withdrawal from WHO “will result in reduced funding to WHO, which will have a negative impact on the operations of the organisation."
WHO has been on a mission to raise funds to finance its own programmes, instead of being overly reliant on member states.
During the 75th World Health Assembly in 2022, WHO member states took a historic decision to sustainably finance WHO after they agreed to a gradual increase in their assessed contributions to represent at least 50% of WHO's core budget by the 2030-2031 budget cycle.
Urged to reconsider
WHO on Tuesday said that with the participation of the US and other member states, it has over the past seven years implemented the largest set of reforms in its history to transform its accountability, cost-effectiveness and impact in countries.
“This work continues. We hope the United States will reconsider, and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe,” WHO said in a statement.
It added: “WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems, and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, often in dangerous places where others cannot go.”
US crucial to global well-being
WHO also highlighted its partnership with the US over the years: “WHO and the USA have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats. Together, we ended smallpox, and together we have brought polio to the brink of eradication. American institutions have contributed to and benefitted from membership in WHO.”
The chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat also expressed his dismay when he learnt of the US government's announcement to withdraw.
The US, as a member of WHO, was "crucial in shaping global WHO instruments and norms on public health security and wellbeing over the past seven decades," he said.
Mahamat said he hopes the US government will reconsider its decision to withdraw from this key global health organisation.
WHO last week said it regretted the decision by its top donor country, with the latter maintaining its stance that the organisation had failed to act independently from the "inappropriate political influence of WHO member states" and required "unfairly onerous payments" from the US that were disproportionate to the sums provided by other, larger countries, such as China.
"We hope that the United States will reconsider, and we really hope that there will be constructive dialogue for the benefit of everyone, for Americans but also for people around the world," WHO spokesperson Tarik Jasarevic told reporters in Geneva last week.
Namibia's health minister Dr Kalumbi Shangula defended WHO last week, saying it has done commendable work in supporting member states to manage health challenges through technical support, especially in developing countries.
“WHO has supported the African member states to contain formidable outbreaks like Ebola in West Africa, mpox, cholera, Marburg and other health emergencies. Here in Namibia, WHO supported the Ministry of Health and Social Services during the plague outbreak in the early nineties and polio in the mid-twenties, just to mention a few,” Shangula said.
Less money
Although the withdrawal of the US did not come as a surprise, Shangula said he does not expect the withdrawal to affect existing bilateral programmes between Namibia and the US.
“Namibia has bilateral funding agreements with the US in the health sector for HIV/Aids, TB and other diseases in the area of advocacy, prevention and treatment through the US President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR), CDC and others. All our health programmes are funded by the government, while development partners contributions amount to 30% of funding,” the minister explained.
He conceded, however, that with the US being one of the major funders, its withdrawal from WHO “will result in reduced funding to WHO, which will have a negative impact on the operations of the organisation."
WHO has been on a mission to raise funds to finance its own programmes, instead of being overly reliant on member states.
During the 75th World Health Assembly in 2022, WHO member states took a historic decision to sustainably finance WHO after they agreed to a gradual increase in their assessed contributions to represent at least 50% of WHO's core budget by the 2030-2031 budget cycle.
Urged to reconsider
WHO on Tuesday said that with the participation of the US and other member states, it has over the past seven years implemented the largest set of reforms in its history to transform its accountability, cost-effectiveness and impact in countries.
“This work continues. We hope the United States will reconsider, and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe,” WHO said in a statement.
It added: “WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems, and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, often in dangerous places where others cannot go.”
US crucial to global well-being
WHO also highlighted its partnership with the US over the years: “WHO and the USA have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats. Together, we ended smallpox, and together we have brought polio to the brink of eradication. American institutions have contributed to and benefitted from membership in WHO.”
The chairperson of the African Union Commission Moussa Faki Mahamat also expressed his dismay when he learnt of the US government's announcement to withdraw.
The US, as a member of WHO, was "crucial in shaping global WHO instruments and norms on public health security and wellbeing over the past seven decades," he said.
Mahamat said he hopes the US government will reconsider its decision to withdraw from this key global health organisation.
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