COVID-19: Prof. Omaswa leads team to rally behind WHO

COVID-19 | WHO

KAMPALA - Renowned Ugandan medic, Prof. Francis Omaswa, has led a team of health activists to rally behind the World Health Organization (WHO) chief, Dr. Adhanom Gebrheyesus Tedros and his team, amid criticism about the way they have handled COVID-19.

In an open letter to Tedros, the 10 medics castigated the announcement by the US President, Donald Trump, to withdraw funding to the world health body. Trump accuses WHO of mishandling the pandemic

In their letter published on Wednesday on the British Medical Journal (BMJ), health activists worldwide who include medics, labelled as "petulant" and "short-sighted" Trump's move to halts WHO funding. BMJ is one of the world's oldest general medical journals.

In the US, the media reported that Trump faced a wide range of criticism for the decision, including from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who branded it "illegal."

A bipartisan group of lawmakers are also pushing Congress to move in the opposite direction by including measures to increase the global health infrastructure in the next major coronavirus legislation.

Their message

"Dear Dr. Tedros and team, we the undersigned have noted with concern the recent personal and institutional attacks against you and WHO. We want to let you know that the world and humanity needs the institution of the WHO now more than ever. In the wake of the COVID -19 pandemic, the technical guidance and leadership of the WHO that you and the leadership team in Geneva, Regional and Country Offices around the world is valued and appreciated," the medics said.

The letter revealed that a number of the medics were members of the Commission that released the report; "The Neglected Dimension of Global Security: A Framework to Counter Infectious Disease Crises" in 2016.

They said that having reviewed a wide range of options for a coordinated global response to infectious diseases, they concluded that the WHO is best placed to play the leadership and coordinating role and that if there was no WHO, there would be a need to invent one.

"This is why we are writing to you to let you know that at this critical time in human history, it has fallen upon you and your WHO team to carry the singular responsibility of leading and coordinating the global charge to stop COVID -19 from killing more people and wreaking more collateral economic and social damage to the world," the letter stated.

The medics said they have noted attacks that have been leveled at the WHO and to Dr. Tedros personally, adding that some of them were motivated by a number of factors that have nothing to do with his leadership of the WHO.

"We are delighted and encouraged that despite these attacks, you and WHO are committed to continue to focus on saving lives and controlling the pandemic with statements such as "No time to waste. Let's focus on saving lives. Collaboration across party lines important to ensure national unity to fight the virus more effectively. National unity is a foundation for global solidarity. When we do this, we quarantine political Covid. Stop politicising #COVID19"," the medics said.

In his response to Trump's announcement that US would cut funding to WHO, Dr. Tedros called for quarantining of the politicization of the pandemic that has hit the world with over two million cases and over 130,000 deaths.

The medics said they are equally encouraged by the timely financial support that has been extended to WHO by Governments and Non-State Actors at this critical time, and they called on all governments, rich and poor including the Private sector to come forward with the urgently needed additional financial support to WHO in the spirit of global solidarity.

The team members

Omaswa, who has served in many positions in different countries, is now the Executive Director, African Center for Global Health and Social Transformation (ACHEST) based in Kampala, Uganda.

From Uganda, Omaswa signed the letter with Prof. Nelson Ssewankambo from Makerere University College of Health Sciences.

Their other colleagues include: Nigel Crisp from the House of Lords, UK; Suwit Wibulpolprasert, from the International Health Policy Program, Ministry of Public Health in Thailand; and Miriam Khamadi Were, Member Champions of AIDS-Free Generation based in Nairobi, Kenya.

Others are:  Marietjie de Villiers, AFREhealth President and Professor in Family Medicine, Stellenbosch University, South Africa;  Honourable Keith Martin MD, PC , Executive Director, Consortium of Universities for Global Health, Washington, DC, USA; and Peter Berman, Professor and Director School of Population and Public Health, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada.

The others are: Yoswa Dambisya, Director General, East, Central and Southern African Health Community, Arusha, Tanzania; and Tsion Firew, Special Advisor to the Minister on Emergency Care and Strategic Partnerships, Federal Ministry of Health in Ethiopia.