Part VI of the Special Series for Global Organization and Function: a collaboration between WGI.WORLD (World Geostrategic Insights) and CGPS (Center for Global Peace and Security).
By Sunny Lee – Founder and President at CGPS (Center for Global Peace and Security), and Director at IKUPD (Institute for Korea-U.S. Political Development), Washington DC.
Global health environment would be divided before and after COVID-19, directly involved in human life as the worst detrimental disease. It was a scary experience resulting in officially 7 million people’s innocent death, such as holocaust in World War II.
Moreover, the Economist estimated 27 million deaths in its article on Oct 25, 2022, ‘the pandemic true death toll.’ Most infected people wouldn’t be tested or informed without pertinent medical treatment, just waiting for the final moment of life in horrible pain. It obviously shows the extreme discrepancy between medically developed areas and the vulnerable in public health.
Even though the WHO announced that 8 billion global population got vaccinated with 13.3 billion doses including second and third dose, low-income countries or the vulnerable reported less than 1%. As a humongous disaster dilapidating human life, AIDS killed 48 million people through the 20 th-21st century but COVID-19 brought out 27 million deaths or even much more for just three years. Now, the overall global population would be exposed to variable pandemic diseases that abrupt and potential viruses unnoticeably penetrate the global society at uncontrolled speed like COVID-19. They mostly originate in Asia and Africa struggling with medical insufficiency as well as lack of effective counter response.
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the UN focusing on international public health issues and emergencies since it was established in 1948. As the largest intergovernmental health organization, the WHO manages six regional offices and 150 field offices worldwide. Especially, the WHO is governed by the World Health Assembly (WHA), composed of 194 member countries with total approved budgets of $6.83 billion in 2024-2025. Its mission would be concentrated on working with countries and partners around the world to prevent, detect and respond to disease outbreaks and other health emergencies.
The WHO has achieved the highest health level for all the world’s people in a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being. Its top priority has been concentrated on keeping the world safe and protecting people from all the vulnerable health environments. Beyond the simple eradication of disease or infirmity, the WHO strengthens its main function and role controlling epidemic and endemic diseases, training the medical treatment of disease, and establishing international standards for biological products to promote health and safety.
As a result, the WHO has played a leading role in public health achievements worldwide, for example, eradication of smallpox, near-eradication of polio and development of an Ebola vaccine. Its current activities concentrate critical aspects of communicable diseases, with the goal of elimination and eradication of HIV/AIDS, Ebola, malaria, tuberculosis, and other illnesses. Furthermore,non-communicable diseases such as heart disease and cancer have been successfully defeated, including nutrition and food security, occupational health, and medicine abuse issues.
Global Health Environment
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the WHO Director-General emphasizes ”the world is off track to reach most of the triple billion targets and the health-related sustainable development goals. However, the WHO could still achieve a substantial subset with concrete and concerted action to accelerate progress while ensuring sustainable and flexible financing to support our mission.”
The WHO global strategy focuses on health, environment and climate change by conducting the transformation needed to improve lives and well-being sustainably through healthy environments. The burden of disease attributable to the environment is high and persistent as causing 13 million deaths each year as one quarter of all deaths. A new global strategy aims at transforming to tackle environmental risks by scaling up disease prevention and health promotion with the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda and the GPW13.
On May 27, 2024, the WHO released ‘Results Report 2023’ proving prominent health achievements for concerted drive toward Sustainable Development Goals. It is the most comprehensive showcase of public health achievement as the greater global humanitarian health demand is driven by conflict, climate change and disease outbreaks.
First, the current trajectory target is related to a healthier population that more than one billion people will enjoy better health and well-being by 2025. It has been driven primarily by improvements in air quality and access to water, sanitation and hygiene measures that billions more people than ever could be protected from health emergencies. As well, such ventures provide billions of people with better health and well-being.
Second, it is the leverage of universal health coverage (UHC) to enhance equality of global health benefit. 30% of global countries are moving ahead in coverage of essential health services and providing financial stability, largely due to increased HIV service coverage. But the WHO pushes up the rate to reach a stable health environment. Still, many places in Asia and Africa are exposed to multiple virus contagion out of public health services.
Third, it is the sustainable goal regarding health emergencies protection. The coverage of vaccinations for high-priority pathogens shows relatively improvement after the COVID-19 pandemic disruptions through 2020–2023. Despite outstanding achievement related to vaccinations, it has not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. The WHO faces serious dilemmas to prevent abrupt virus emergence by coordinating health organizations worldwide.
Nonetheless, the WHO has conducted its mission that the Pandemic Fund’s first disbursements totaled $338 million in 2023 and helped 37 countries strengthen prevention, preparedness and response capacities. As well, it would successfully work with many countries and partners to enhance not only genomic sequencing capabilities but also laboratory and surveillance systems. For example, the response capacity for SARS-CoV-2 increased to 62% from February 2021 to December 2023. It helped overall COVID’s treatment and eradication by declaring the periodical end of COVID-19.
Pandemic/Endemic Disease and Human Disaster
Over three million children in Ghana, Kenya, and Malawi reduced mortality in a 13% drop among children eligible for vaccination for just two years. The WHO’s prequalification of a second vaccine, R21/Matrix-M, is guaranteed to further boost malaria control efforts. In response to high demand for the first-ever malaria vaccine, a total of 18 million doses of RTS, S/AS01 will be allocated to 12 countries in Africa during the 2023-2025 period. In addition, 14 countries eliminated at least one neglected tropical disease from 2022-2023. The first all-oral treatment regimens for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis were also made available in 2022, allowing the highest number of people to get treatment after it was monitored 30 years ago.
Currently, the global society struggles with the fundamental health condition which causes variable human diseases impacting on daily life. As the most critical case, the WHO’s REPLACE INITIATIVE aims to eliminate industrially-produced trans-fatty acids from the food supply chain, bringing the total to 53 countries. The first five countries include Denmark, Lithuania, Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Thailand. In 2023, they proudly received a validation certificate of Trans Fat Elimination by the WHO, similar to the certification schemes for polio and smallpox eradication.
More than 75% of people living with HIV among the world population are currently under antiretroviral therapy with most achieving viral suppression. The WHO has helped countries control HIV transmission that acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is still ongoing in a chronic condition. HIV caused by human immunodeficiency virus damages the immune system so that the body becomes incapable of fighting infection or disease. If HIV isn’t completely treated, it can weaken the immune system to become AIDS. CABENUVA is a long-acting, complete HIV regimen that Lenacapavir (GS-6207), a HIV-1 capsid inhibitor, can prevent 99.9% of AIDS by only one-time injection. It will be provided to impoverished countries by early 2026 so that the world becomes totally free from HIV horror.
The complete treatment and eradication of COVID-19 would never reach the final destination, producing mutation viruses such as SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. In the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, critical vulnerabilities in global health systems and severe inequalities would be exposed to diagnostics, treatments, and vaccines. The virus resulted in twenty-seven million deaths worldwide, dilapidated economies, and messed up healthcare services across the global society. Nonetheless, the pandemic simultaneously triggered the largest vaccination campaign in history with over 13.3 billion doses administered globally by April 2023. It stimulates a strong framework for pandemic preparedness and response to inherit a safer and healthier world as reinforcing the WHO’s function and leading role.
COVID-19 is still hanging around the world with a ghostly potential as a fatal risk to vulnerable people and the environment. The virus has killed more than 30 million people so far and infected 8 billion, 10% of the global population. It is still circulating as it sparked the pandemic with SARS-CoV-2, even though vaccination can beat it to 66%. However, with ongoing experience of COVID-19, hybrid immunity from natural infection supplemented with booster vaccination is very helpful to prevent large-scale COVID-19 waves.
On April 16, 2025, member countries belonging to the WHO finalized a draft global agreement as a historical venture in Geneva Headquarter. It aimed at improving how the world prepares for and responds to pandemics which will be submitted to the World Health Assembly for adoption. The draft outlines a framework for strengthening international collaboration, equity and resilience to remove future global health threats. In reaching consensus on the Pandemic Agreement, they induced an intergenerational accord to make the world safer. They also demonstrated that multilateralism is the best option to deal with pandemic and endemic diseases by finding a shared response against humongous threats.
The WHO’s Obstacle and Prospective Vision
On the inauguration day, President Trump announced withdrawal of the WHO as the biggest funding country as well as the Paris Agreement again. He strongly denounced the WHO’s ineffective correspondence to COVID-19, which was initially ignored until it became pandemic as a global disaster. Furthermore, he is very negative about the UN’s pertinent role while withdrawing UNESCO, UNHRC, and UNRWA against Israel. The United States supported the WHO’s budget with 20% and the UN with 22% but Trump surely declared not only withdrawal but also overall funding reduction. Annual donation of $300-400 million to UNRWA has been already stopped since January 2024 in the suspicion of support to Palestine’s Hamas.
Ironically, Trump’s harsh responses toward international organizations strengthen the WHO’s inevitable mission in charge of global public health, exploring general human life free from all kinds of global diseases. Without the WHO, pandemic diseases wouldn’t be eradicated and moreover, the worldwide health environment will be in danger of being unable to be overcome. In particular, many people in Africa and Asia continue to die in terrible ways whenever viruses penetrate their immune systems or they are struck by incurable diseases.
Therefore, for fulfilling the achievement of the WHO, its obstacles should be precisely reviewed and resolved with prospective vision. For example, the WHO’s Program Budget for 2024–2025 aims to fund 80% of the planned budget for high-priority items. It focuses on accelerating progress toward the triple billion targets of the GPW 13 extended to the new GPW 14 for 2025-2028. 1 billion more people benefiting from universal health coverage follows 1 billion better protected from health emergencies and 1 billion enjoying better health and well-being.
First, it is unexpected, sudden budget cuts of major countries which severely impact global health funding. Prolonged conflicts around the world are fueling disease outbreaks and causing a serious threat to public health. If Trump actually cuts 20% of the $6.83 billion budget, it will bring not only serious financial insecurity but also frustrate major projects like triple billion targets. 80% of medical facilities in Afghanistan under the WHO’s support would be in danger of shutdown and bring millions of people’s death. Abrupt withdrawal of funding can also jeopardize high achieving medical progress such as efforts to eradicate tropical diseases.
Second, there is insufficient budget to control disease outbreaks and regional discrepancy in the public health environment. Pandemic diseases largely come from undeveloped countries in the lack of medical system and public health, where the vulnerable are also struggling with variable endemic diseases. For example, Angola has caused the worst cholera breaks for 20 years, recording over 17,000 infectors and more than 550 deaths. Prolonged inadequate access to safe water, hygiene and sanitation is also fueling the outbreak. Even though the WHO conducts a large-scale vaccination campaign to bring the death rate down, over one billion people are still neglected in tropical diseases. Especially, budget cuts impact the poorest and most marginalized areas that vaccination efforts are increasingly under pressure with multiple conditions of misinformation, population growth and humanitarian crises.
Third, it is the low capacity of autonomy related to budget expenses that 71% is scheduled and only 29% is flexible to use. It impedes speedy counter response to abrupt pandemic diseases. Moreover, the WHO reports that nearly half of 108 countries are experiencing severe disruptions to vaccination campaigns, routine immunizations, and supply chains caused by donor decline. Such a funding crisis is critically limiting to vaccinate over 15 million vulnerable children with measles. Vaccines save around 4.2 million lives each year against 14 different diseases that half of those lives are saved in Africa.
Fourth, it is a lack of binding power related to the WHO’s norms and programs. World health standards and norms of the WHO have a legal effect as a treaty of international law same with the domestic law between member countries. However, without punishment and mandatory regulations, they are simply in favor of exhortation. For example, public health emergencies should be immediately informed of the WHO within 24 hours but China unwillingly reported COVID-19 after a few months while avoiding its responsibility.
Nonetheless, the WHO has conducted a prominent function to prepare for upcoming global health emergencies as the largest public health agency. It has supported immunization programs and ensured long-term investment in vaccines and public health systems. As the worldwide role model, Korea was referred to the counterresponse system of COVID-19 with excellent data analysis. Korea effectively combined pandemic prevention systems and IT techniques, recorded the lowest death rate of 287 people per a million without shutdown. On the contrary, the United States reached 1,6030 death rate per a million as 56 times higher than Korea despite long-term shutdown. In addition, COVID-19 spread around the European countries at nonstop speed and the UK originated the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant.
For the best solution, the WHO should establish the Global Pandemic Data Center based on Korea’s successful case with response system and collaboration structure worldwide to prepare for global health crisis and emergency. In long-term policy, it has to also establish the Specialized Pandemic Response Agency focused on Asia and Africa with mandatory regulations by multilateral cooperation between member countries. Speedy and professional response through international health cooperation will advance the global society for not only human life but also a healthy environment.
Promotion of Well-being Life
On May 19, 2024, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus praised the WHO agreement’s long-term significance in the 78th World Health Assembly as UN’s highest forum for global health. He emphasized its strong framework for pandemic preparedness and response to inherit a safer and healthier world. Improving human lives and well-being sustainably through healthy environments is also for the next generation as the WHO has achieved so far.
The ultimate goal of the WHO is well-being of all the world’s people without diseases or health problems for not only physical condition but also quality of life. The WHO has fulfilled healthy human life by conducting numerous activities to eradicate diseases and promote a healthy environment on the global stage. Despite such a remarkable achievement, pandemic diseases continually go through every place as a global phenomenon and general people are scared of detrimental death unless it becomes completely eradicated.
As the worst experience in recent history, COVID-19 shook the global public health system and government system based on extreme nationalism and conservatism focusing on national interests. Nonetheless, without the WHO’s effort, COVID-19 wouldn’t terminate after 3 years and the world still hangs on all kinds of viruses toward fatal death. The WHO has strived to eradicate variable diseases and supported the vulnerable with public health systems and medical assistance. All healthy, equal life without diseases and a well-being environment advance together as long as the WHO continues its mission.
Therefore, the global society should understand how well-being life would be improved by supporting the WHO’s prominent function and role. Currently, its worst dilemma is a funding cut as COVID-19 pandemic killed countless innocent people and destroyed the fundamental government systems. If the WHO’s role would be reinforced, the global society might remove all the viruses and diseases, enjoying healthy life in physical, mental and social stages.
Author: Sunny Lee – Founder and President at CGPS (Center for Global Peace and Security), and Director at IKUPD (Institute for Korea-U.S. Political Development), Washington DC. Sunny Lee is the author of 115 academic books in politics (original English and in German, French, Russian, Polish, Dutch, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese). She is a bestseller writer not only in politics but also in literature on Amazon. Her recent book is titled: “The Influence on Humankind’s Peace through Korean Reunification: Creating new paradigm in social science by interdisciplinary research.”
(The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of World Geostrategic Insights).