A world of 3020
As I sit self quarantined in my room, one of the fundamental questions which leaves me wondering, Why was humanity, with all its technological and economic prosperity, unable to tackle a simple attack like a virus? Surely, with the combined might of the world, we should have been able to counter this virus even before it originated. Why have more than 100,000 people (as I write this) died? Most of them in the seemingly prosperous western civilization?
For this, we need to understand the formation of the global economy and civilization as one single entity. To do that, we need to go back to 1945, the end of the second world war.
A number of institutions were formed after the second world war, to ensure that humanity never comes close to a global conflict like it ever again. Those institutions failed to make any dent, and the entire human race came towards the brink of conflict a number of times after 1945. Some of them are those we have last read about in our civics books - UNSC, UNGA, UNESCO etc.
One of the institutions exhibiting failure in the face of its first real challenge is - the World Health Organisation (WHO). The WHO has been utterly humiliated with its inability to tackle the COVID 19. They have not done much, other than declaring it to be a pandemic.
To understand why humanity, through its WHO was not able to counter the COVID 19, we need to look at the formation and constitution of the WHO.
About WHO
The WHO has been established for the following reasons:
The WHO was established in 1948 with a long list of functions defined in its Constitution [pdf] – which has been signed by 61 countries. In summary, its mandate is to coordinate “international health work”; assist governments to strengthen health services; provide technical assistance; provide epidemiological and statistical services; promote better health; eradicate disease; and propose regulations to improve health.
However, one of the main points missing from its mandate was - "source of funding". The WHO was not able to raise its own funds! With additional bureaucratic layers being put in, it gained the title of "just another intergovernmental organisation".
In effect, because of a lack of funding and tiresome procedures, countries started looking for alternatives to deal with their personal medical crises. For eg - Ebola in 2015.
Other players replacing the WHO
The world bank had invested in health long ago in 1993. The GAVI, Gates Foundation and other organisations with a prominent funding backing have replaced the WHO in disbursement of vaccines, eradication of diseases, building hospitals etc.
The gates foundation has amassed more than USD 36 Billion in the last year in donation receipts alone. This money has been utilised productively in development of health infrastructure.
However, the biggest risk in third party organizations is - "They are not accountable to the people for whose health they are working"
Way forward
What the world needs - is the development of a "HATF" i.e. a Health Action Task Force - very similar to the already existing FATF. (Financial Action Task Force)
The HATF will consist of all the member countries of the UNGA. Apart from governments, there will be other members like the Gates Foundation, Asian Development Bank, etc whose joining will be voluntary. Pharma companies would be mandated to join the HATF along with their host country. However, in case any NGO wishes to work within the health sector, it will be mandatory for them to join after they cross a certain amount of donation receipts. There will be "Binding Resolutions" passed through a majority of the countries. Various countries can further set up voluntary committees within the HATF.
There will be a constitution of the HATF which will look at the world of 3020, rather than a world of 2020. The development of health infrastructure, compulsory budgetary investment in healthcare by each country, strict annual audits done by HATF will comprise of the core functioning.
In case a country defaults on its duties, there shall be penal economic sanctions on the violating country until it amends. The HATF will focus on preventive health measures, hygiene maintenance and development of hospitals, governmental/private investment in medical research and most importantly - "Sharing of available developments in the medical research with other nations". Pharma companies will be mandated to conduct movement of medicines as mandated by the HATF along with a ceiling in prices.
The HATF will also own land and hospitals within each country. They can be deployed by the HATF in the service of any other country and such other provisions where each country is accountable for its own development in healthcare
In Conclusion:
Such stringent measures are necessary since the inherent fault lines in the global economic system have been totally exposed by the COVID 19. We are in no state to even put up a fight if nature decides to attack with its full strength.
We have now come face to face with the dark side of the global economy - it is not global terrorism, it is global pandemics.
We must act now if we wish to save ourselves and this planet, its the only one we have!
Stay Home, Stay Safe!
गौतम पाटणकर
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