Third World Resurgence #298/299 (June/July 2015) focusses on
Resisting Corporate Influence in WHO
WHO shackled: Donor control of the World Health Organisation
By David Legge
Since the 1990s, concern has grown that the integrity and independence of the World Health Organisation (WHO) may be compromised as a result of corporate influence. When in May, the World Health Assembly – the supreme decision-making body of WHO – met in Geneva, much of the debate centred on the funding of WHO and the rules regarding this UN agency’s relationship with the private sector. David Legge analyses the debate and explains the issues involved.
WHO reform: opening the floodgates to the private sector?
By Judith Richter
It is in the name of ‘reform’, against a backdrop of a funding crisis, that a greater collaboration between WHO and big business is being justified. Judith Richter provides a historical overview of the process which began in 1992 with the drive for UN ‘reforms’, a euphemism for the neoliberal restructuring of the world body.
Reform and WHO: The continuing saga of FENSA
By KM Gopakumar
A year after WHO launched its ‘reform’ programme in 2011, the WHO secretariat began working on a comprehensive policy to regulate engagements between WHO and non-state actors or NSAs (academics, NGOs, philanthropies and private sector entities etc). The framework document that emerged has been dubbed FENSA (Framework of Engagement with Non-State Actors). KM Gopakumar charts the continuing debate over this document.
No consensus at World Health Assembly on non-state actors engagement framework
By KM Gopakumar and Mirza Alas
Efforts to forge a consensus at the World Health Assembly in May on a document governing WHO’s engagement with non-state actors (Framework for Engagement with Non-State Actors or FENSA) came to naught. KM Gopakumar and Mirza Alas report on the Assembly’s deliberations on the issue.
CSOs voice concerns over corporate takeover of WHO
By Kanaga Raja
At the World Health Assembly in May, civil society organisations criticised the rich countries for refusing an increase in their assessed contributions to WHO and opposing any action by the agency which would be contrary to the interests of their corporations. Kanaga Raja reports.
Reforming and restoring WHO to good health
By German Velasquez
In this trenchant critique of its failings, German Velasquez says that the basic starting point of any reform of WHO should focus on how to regain its public and multilateral character.
Complete articles can be found at
http://www.twn.my/title2/resurgence/twr.htm