The World Health Organization and its director-general received high praise for the handling of the H1N1, or ‘swine flu’ pandemic. The pandemic has spread to 39 countries and nearly 8500 persons, and appears to be no more lethal than a normal seasonal flu. Despite the positive press for WHO and health agencies throughout the world, this H1N1 outbreak reveals fundamental shortcomings in our preparedness for a major, and more lethal, pandemic.
With the exception of information-sharing, WHO’s performance has been far from stellar. WHO has not been able to limit unilateral measures lacking a scientific basis, nor has it demonstrated the functioning infrastructure to redistribute medicines and vaccines to curb an epidemic. Today’s H1N1 pandemic shows that once a pandemic is active, WHO’s ability to facilitate international cooperation is constrained. International agreement is needed not only to report cases, but to coordinate policies based on scientific knowledge, and to make supplies available where they are needed.
