WHO’s establishment in 1948 marked a new era, and “Health for All” became the hope. For decades, WHO was prominent in GHG, coordinating worldwide efforts against smallpox, handling international reporting, and managing disease outbreaks through the IHR. Still today, the world community expects WHO to solve global health governance problems, and maintain its unique coordinating function. It is the only agency with authority to develop and implement international health law. But today’s WHO is a weakened institution, riddled with budgetary problems, power politics, and diminished reputation. WHO’s failings in the 2014 West African Ebola outbreak demonstrated that it lacks the capacity to prevent and contain pandemics. Nor does it have coordination capacity, accountability, a master global health plan, or reliable compliance mechanisms. WHO’s vision of “Health for All” remains unfulfilled. Other UN agencies have important health functions but present vexing issues of their own.
International Health Law (2018)
