Coronavirus Pandemic – How the WHO endangered the world

EDITOR: Men often love to receive praise when they do well, but these same men shun scrutiny, criticism and correction when their actions are irresponsible. They would prefer if their wickedness is “brushed under the carpet”.

This must never be done especially when known action or inaction causes the loss of human lives. Major lockdowns, massive deaths tolls, health problems, distress and disruptions that could have been prevented, persist all over the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has mishandled the Coronavirus outbreak that was later declared a pandemic. They should be held accountable. In recent times, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has rightfully come ‘under fire’ by a world that is waking up to WHO’s recklessness in the crisis.

The relationship between WHO and the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), for example, continues to be highly questionable.

Instead of rebuking the freedom-stifling Party for their cover-up of vital information about the presence and spread of the virus in the early stage, China received praise for their so-called measures to contain the virus. China deserves no credit in this crisis. The WHO should have known that the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could not be relied on for truthful information. The Chinese Communist Party censored whistle blowers and hindered the free flow of information that could have saved thousands of human lives. Even after being alerted of cases of unusual pneumonia-type virus, unrestricted travel continued out of China during the Chinese New year, which obviously caused the virus to spread rapidly on a global scale. They should receive world-wide condemnation, not praise.

A recent revelation from Taiwan News on April 11, showed that Taiwan had informed the WHO through an email since December 31 “about the emergence of an atypical virus” in Wuhan, China. Taiwan also asked the World Health Organisation to share any “relevant information” with them. There is no evidence that WHO gave serious attention to Taiwan’s alert and request. Instead of an expeditious investigation into the unusual virus, WHO seemed more concerned about lecturing the world against referring to the virus as the “Wuhan Chinese Virus”. In February, Tedros informed the world that the virus was called Covid-19 to help “to prevent stigmatizing” of a people. Such reasoning is inconsistent with their naming of other diseases such as Ebola, Zika and MERS, which were given names based on their area of origin.

In January, the World Health Organisation was telling the world that there was no evidence of “human to human transmission.” The World Health Organization with all its expertise resources could have been more investigative and cautious. Why did they not heed the early warnings from Chinese doctors? When some countries began making efforts to close borders, WHO said that “travel bans would unnecessarily interfere with international travel and trade and could have the effect of increasing stigma and fear.” Doesn’t this big global organization know that immunologists showed that the closure of borders was crucial in slowing the spread of the virus?

Some persons, for fear of being branded as ‘political’, ‘conspiracy theorist’ or ‘too judgement’ would prefer to remain silent. If we are daunted by such labels, we would remain ignorant, unprotected and at high risk. In February, Director-General Tedros said that the virus was highly contagious and airborne. Yet the WHO has failed to properly inform the world that proper wearing of masks in public by all is an effective measure to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus. Reputable studies are available in the public domain showing the airborne nature of the virus, thus the importance of wearing mask. In early March, research from China, written by Chinese epidemiologists, informed us of a study done on a bus which showed how the virus was transmitted in a closed environment with air conditioning. Some passengers who boarded a bus 30 minutes after an infected person had left, became infected through aerosol transmission from the infected passenger. Persons wearing face masks were not infected. Why hasn’t WHO instructed its network of organizations and followers all over the world, including SVG Health institutions, that they should unswervingly encourage their populations to wear masks, with all the other good hygienic practices, to protect themselves? Do they love to see people get sick and die? Are they really interested in taking strain off healthcare workers and health systems? Today, the world remains in an unprecedented crisis. Misinformation, ill-advised and confusing guidelines have been pushed by world institutions like WHO and have filtered down to regional and local bodies, including our healthcare sector in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. They must be made to pay for their gross negligence and wickedness. They need to repent and get the love of God in their hearts to show genuine love and care for all humanity.

Ann-Marie Ballantyne

svgpatriot@hotmail.com