South Korea Could Be Among The States That Will Be Held Accountable For Failure To Adhere Global Health Rules
An official from the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Tuesday that a panel from the United Nations is thinking of ways to hold nations accountable for failure to adhere global health rules.
"This goes back to governments. If they sign up to the international health regulations they need to honor their commitment," says WHO Director-General Margaret Chan, as noted by Reuters on the same day.
"Because if they don't do their part they pose a risk to their neighbors and beyond," she told a news conference," Chan adds.
She adds that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon initiated a global review crisis, which will help them assess on how to hold these non-abiding governments accountable for the matter.
"As part of the Secretary-General's high level panel I'm sure they will come up with some kind of mechanism to address governments that ignore their duty and responsibility and yet pose a threat to others," Chan says.
The WHO official mentions Saudi Arabia and South Korea for having poor health care standards which is one of the reasons for the hasty spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) in the nations.
Chan adds that governments should "walk the talk" and help their people stay healthy.
WHO posted on its official website that the failure of public health systems could have great impacts among underprivileged people.
"The poor are treated with less respect, given less choice of service providers and offered lower- quality amenities," says Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland. "In trying to buy health from their own pockets, they pay and become poorer."
The WHO also reveals that one of the reasons for the failings of health systems is because most of the health ministers prioritized public sector over private sector health care.
Meanwhile, Chan calls on the governments to make medical treatments affordable by lowering the prices of medicines, adding she is hearing plans to reform drug cost setting but did not give further details.
"Now I'm beginning to hear some discussion about delinking the cost of investment in innovation and the price of medicines and vaccines," she says.
