The governance of global health has changed in radical ways just in the last 12 months. But potentially lasting changes, some would argue long predicted, are defining new ways of financing which may alter the governance in ways that directly run counter to the very goals of public health. These have been normalized and adopted without adequate consultation of member states of WHO, and despite concerns raised by stakeholders in the civil society.
The new WHO Foundation, a non-profit legal entity that has been established to fundraise for WHO might have already caused conflicts of interest arising over recent donations including from Nestlé. Further, the Foundation is now responsible for the COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund raising more questions on its operations and potential implications for the reputation and integrity of WHO.
Some member states and many civil society organizations have consistently sought more transparency since the launch of the WHO Foundation in May 2020. They say such a structure poses risks to the public health objectives of WHO by receiving contributions from sources whose goals may not be consistent with the Sustainable Development Goals.
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