WHO AND IT’S ROLE IN COVID-

19

Indrajit Banerjee
ASSIGNMENT-1  Enrollment Number: CUSB1801212013
INTRODUCTION:
WHO, The World Health Organisation, was appeared to be a specialised agency of the
United Nations responsible for international public health on 7th of April, 1948.
The main objectives of the WHO Constitution are to ensure "the highest possible level of
health achieved by all individuals" by establishing the organization's management structure
and policies. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, with six semi-autonomous regional
offices and 150 field offices worldwide. It is considered as a part of the UN sustainable
development group. On 24 July 1948, the first meeting of the WHA (World Health Assembly)
took place.

STRUCTURE OF WHO:
The main organs of the World Health Council, the Executive Board and the WHO
Secretariat.

World Health Assembly:

All WHO members are represented at the World Health Council. Each member has one
Many voted but sent three delegates. The delegates are in accordance with the WHO
constitution They should be selected for technical merits and above all for national
representation Health Administration. Assemble are usually met in May and a president
was elected in a three-week assembly.

Executive Board:

The World Health Council can elect any 32 members for three years. Each of the selected
countries "nominates one to technically enable the field Health” to the WHO Executive
Board. Countries are selected by rotation, one-third of which memberships are being
replaced every year, and they can succeed on their own meetings are held twice a year for
sessions ranging from a few days to a few weeks, but this can be a special conference
meeting at any time.

FUNCTIONS OF WHO:

1.UNIVERSAL HEALTH COVERAGE-

Public health coverage relates to accessible services that help individuals to get financial
protection as well as health protection about how developing and developed countries need
to move forward with their universal health coverage.

2.THE INTERNATIONAL HEALTH REGULATION –

Organizations in countries affiliated with the WHO are advised to create a post which will
comply with the International Health Control (2005) and monitor the survey. Development
can prevent ignorance and frustration about health problems.
3.INCREASEING ACCESS TO MEDICAL SERVICES

The WHO increases accessibility to effective, affordable and safe drugs

Very good quality.

4. SHAPING THE RESEARCH AGENDA

Research is the main work of the WHO; This is through disease and health policy research
Worldwide practices can be applied to save as many lives as possible.

FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19:

The relationship between pandemic and economy is exactly comparable to the relation
observed among health and wealth in general. A 55-year-old individual from Hubei province
in China was reported been the first person to have contracted COVID-19, ["1st known
coronavirus case" - Live Science] the disease caused by the new coronavirus spreading
across the globe. In December, 2019, a series of pneumonia cases of unknown cause
emerged in Wuhan, with clinical presentations greatly resembling viral pneumonia. Deep
sequencing analysis from lower respiratory tract samples indicated a novel coronavirus,
which was named 2019 novel coronavirus (2019- nCoV). [Huang et al. 2020]
In India, first case was reported on 30 th of January, 2020 in Kerala. [
https://github.com/datasets/covid-19/blob/master/data/countries-aggregated.csv,
www.covid19india.org, 26th March IST 1:00 PM]. Till 24 th March, 2020, total 536 covid-19
cases are reported in which 10 are deceased and the number of recovery cases was 40.
Total death per 1million population in India is 0.01 where this number is 4 in USA, 2 in
China, 136 in Italy, 104 in Spain, 3in Germany and 28 in Iran. [
www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries, 27th March, 2020, IST 8:35 PM. Since
March 25, India has been totally lockdown when 471035 cases are reported worldwide to
be infected by novel coronavirus (Covid-19) with active cases of 3,35,525 and 114,228 cases
were discharged. 14,792 cases are considered as fatal or serious cases and total 21,282 are
deceased due to this global epidemic throughout the world. The death rate is increasing
with 15.71% while the recovery rate is growing at 84.71% [
www.worldometer.info>coronavirus, 26th March, 2020 IST 10:00 AM]. Till 25 th of March,
China (21,285), Italy (74,386), USA (68,211), Spain (49,515), Germany (37,323) and Iran
(27,017) are found as major active case bearer of Covid-19. Among them 74,588 are
recovered in China and 11,133 are recovered in Iran.
Quality of healthy life which includes purified water, sanitized housing, sufficient nutritious
food, good health care etc, is essential in any economy but afforded by rich persons
accessing required knowledge to enhance and maintain one’s health. The relationship
between pandemic and economy is exactly similar to the relation observed among health
and wealth in general (Bloom and Canning, 2020). The economy is affected largely by the
capital markets indirectly since the capital market plays an important role in the growth
path of trade and industry. Economic activities, efficient allocation of capital, mobilization of
domestic savings, facilitation of exchange of goods and services are improved in an
economy by identifying and funding productive projects with better investment
opportunities which is impelled by well-governed stock market (Nazir et al., 2010). The
pandemic can hamper economic development and trigger catastrophic events, thereby
reducing the wealth of health and reducing protection against further health threats (Bloom
and Canning, 2020). The epidemic hampers economy not only through disturbing health but
also through damaging transport, agriculture and tourism. According to conjectures and
calculations provided by the rating agency S&P, Covid-19 can slowdown the growth rate of
baseline GDP for the world by 0.3 percentage point (ppt), for China by 0.7 ppt; for Asia-
Pacific by 0.5 ppt; and for the USA and Europe by 0.1 to 0.2 ppt (Bloom and Canning, 2020).
IMF predicted that the growth rate if GDP in India can be more than 7% in April 2021 if
nation can control the coronavirus outbreak but the growth rate would be 1.9% in March
2021. It is based on the control of the disease and stimulating monetary and fiscal policies
immediately ending up the lockdowns. In this regard, lower oil price may help India
becoming a favourable situation (www.cnbc.com, IST 22:21, 20th April, 2020).

WHO’s Role:

INCREASEING UNDERSTANDING OF THE DISEASE:

WHO is constantly analysing data as we receive it and working closely with global experts on
a range of topics WHO is proposing specific studies to better understand transmission, risk
factors and the source of infection.

COMMUNICATING WITH THE PUBLIC: on how to protect themselves and others, especially
the vulnerable and those at higher risk.

KEEPING COUNTRIES AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC INFORMED: Providing updated

information through the International Health Regulation (2005), daily situation reports and
dashboards displaying real-time data.

COORDINATING WITH PARTNERS: WHO is working with our network of partners including
the UN and development agencies, Emergency Medical Teams, the Global Outbreak Alert
and Response Network (GOARN) and donor agencies.

HELPING COUNTRIES PREPARE: WHO is working closely with countries to help them
prepare for the rapid detection and response to cases, clusters and community transmission
including sending supplies, providing technical expertise and training. WHO country office
for India has been working closely with MOHFW on preparedness and response measures
for COVID-19, including surveillance and contact tracing, laboratory diagnosis, risk
communications and community engagement, hospital preparedness, infection prevention
and control, and implementation of containment plan. “India stands at an important turning
point in its fight against COVID-19 .The prime minister has taken bold and decisive steps to
break the chain of transmission .WHO stands together in solidarity with India and its people
and is committed to providing all the support that is needed , “ says Dr Henk Bekedam ,
WHO representative to India.
CONCLUSION:

As mentioned above, WHO has a well-organized global executive body. Health Council
Executive Agency and Secretariat. It has various functions to work according to the WHO, in
addition to the functions mentioned above other functions on which the WHO works. The
poorer part of society is specially cared for, medical facilities, providing medicines at low
prices. Coronavirus for the novel disease (COVID-19) WHO is taking immediate steps to
detect, treat and reduce the disease transmission to save people.

References:

 Epidemics and Economics, David E. Bloom and David Canning, Harvard School of Public
Health, PROGRAM ON THE GLOBAL DEMOGRAPHY OF AGING Working Paper Series
 Mian Sajid Nazir, Muhammad Musarat Nawaz and Usman Javed Gilani; Relationship between
economic growth and stock market development; African Journal of Business Management,
December 2010

 IMF says India’s growth rate could top 7% in 2021 if the coronavirus outbreak is brought under
control (https://www.cnbc.com/2020/04/20/coronavirus-imf-forecasts-india-growth-rate-at-
7point4-percent-in-2021.html)
 [THE MACROECONOMICS OF EPIDEMICS Martin S. Eichenbaum Sergio Rebelo Mathias
Trabandt Working Paper 26882 http://www.nber.org/papers/w26882 NATIONAL BUREAU OF
ECONOMIC RESEARCH]

Websites:
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 https://towardsdatascience.com/visual-notes-from-singapores-first-100-fully-recovered-
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 www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/#countries, 27th March, 2020, IST 8:35 PM