18 JULY 2022 by Abir Ballan, MPH
Are you
curious to know whether the World Health Organization followed public
health principles when recommending the global Covid-19 response?
10 PUBLIC
HEALTH PRINCIPLES
In times of
emergency, societies function best if they uphold long-standing principles and
ethical values, developed over many years. These public health principles
should have been applied to the Covid-19 response.
1.
Human dignity
and personal freedoms should be upheld under all circumstances. Any
restrictions on individual freedom, on public health grounds, must be temporary
and case-specific, and should be undertaken as a last resort under an
exceedingly high burden of proof of their necessity, reasonableness and
proportionality.
2.
A holistic
definition of health includes physical, mental, spiritual and social
well-being.
3.
Individuals
have the right to bodily integrity, i.e. to make free choices regarding their
body and to be free of any interference with their body to which they do not
consent.
4.
Health
professionals should only recommend health interventions based on individual
needs and only if the benefits outweigh the risks for that person.
5.
Health professionals must obtain informed and voluntary consent from
individuals before any medical intervention. Inaccurate information,
psychological manipulation and any form of coercion render consent invalid.
6.
Public health
interventions should protect private medical information. Interventions that
lead to discrimination and stigmatisation based on personal health care
choices are unethical.
7.
Public health
interventions should take into account biological (pathogen, genetic factors,
health status, medical interventions…), as well as social determinants of
health, including economic stability and employment, neighbourhood and physical
environment, community support and mental wellbeing and access to and quality
of education, food and health care.
8.
A
multi-disciplinary approach should be undertaken to assess the short-, medium-
and long-term effects of any public health intervention prior to its
implementation.
9.
Individuals
and communities directly affected by public health interventions should
participate in the decision-making process to ensure their fairness,
appropriateness and success.
10.
Trust in
public health is built on transparency and honesty. Policies and
recommendations should be based on accurate data — free of conflicts of
interest. They must also be subjected to continuous improvement through open
scientific debate.
This review attempts to empower you with key
information to help you assess the WHO’s candidacy as an authoritative global
public health organisation. It provides background information on public health
and pandemic management principles, to allow you to evaluate the soundness of
the WHO-recommended response to Covid-19. It goes on to summarise the
assumptions underlying their Covid-19 recommendations, followed by a summary of
the recommendations. Finally, it discusses possible influences on the WHO’s
decisions and direction, and suggests actions you may take to safeguard your
health sovereignty.
DOWNLOAD THE
DOCUMENT AS A PDF
TAKE ACTION
It is important for decision-makers to be aware of
the WHO’s track record before entrusting it with further power over our health
and well-being.
Please consider initiating a conversation with key decision-makers about
the suitability of WHO as a global health authority and the need for clear
checks and balances to ensure that the best interests of people are at the
heart of all public health policies.
Letter template to politicians or
government representative
Dear
[insert name],
As a [representative of the people in government/ member of parliament], you are committed to serve the people and ensure that their best interests are at the heart of all public policy.
The
WHO-recommended response to Covid-19 was largely followed by most countries.
This highlights how far-reaching the WHO’s influence is on local governance and
as a consequence the impact of its recommendations on people’s lives and livelihoods.
Are you sure the WHO-recommended response to Covid-19 is in line with WHO’s constitution and its own pandemic preparedness plans?
Are
you sure the WHO is still guided by science and not by private interests?
What is your responsibility towards your fellow citizens?
You
have great power to influence your government and create positive change.
You are invited to explore the suitability of the WHO as a global authority on public health: THE WHO REVIEW AND WHY IT MATTERS TO YOU
Sincerely,
[sign your name here]
DOWNLOAD THE TEMPLATE AS A WORD DOC
https://www.pandata.org/wp-content/uploads/PANDA_TemplateLetter_WHO-Review.docx
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR
Abir Ballan, MPH
Abir has a Masters in Public Health, a graduate degree in special
needs education and a BA in psychology. She is a children’s
author with 27 published
books. She has been an advocate for the inclusion of children with learning
difficulties in mainstream schools. Abir is a former member of the Executive
Committee at PANDA. She is particularly committed to promoting the health and wellbeing of
children and young people.
Publisher’s
note: The opinions and findings expressed in articles, reports and interviews
on this website are not necessarily the opinions of PANDA, its directors or
associates.
