The Team Leader for the World Health Organisation in Eastern and Southern Africa, Dr. Ngoy Nsenga, has said the global health agency has no power to compel countries to adhere to regulations.
Mr Nsenga disclosed this during a teleconference meeting organised by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, Regional Office for Southern and Eastern Africa (OCHA ROSEA) in collaboration with the WHO.
The meeting, centered on understanding the coronavirus and the role of the media in containing the pandemic, held on Tuesday morning.
The participants included over 50 journalists from Africa including POLITICS NIGERIA’s reporter.
During the Question and Answer session, a Kenyan journalist, however, asked if the WHO enforces its regulations on member-states who hid the correct figures recorded from Coronavirus.
Mr Nsenga, in his response, said that the organisation is funded by countries across the world and as such cannot force the regulations on the countries.
“We are the secretary of the member-states and they give us money. The International regulations say this is what has been agreed on but when you look at the interactions after, it is very far. You will find countries saying they have reservations on this, on that.”
He noted that most times, the countries have no basis for their reservations when probed.”When they make international regulations, they give them the right to say: “WHO, we don’t want you to mingle in our business. If we falter, we falter. We are sovereign. This is our sovereignty.”
He added: “In the international regulations, WHO has no power to do anything to do any country that does not comply. That is the unfortunate reality.”
The official also advised the journalists to disregard rumours of any cure or vaccine produced to combat Covid-19.
Mr Nsenga said most of the drugs recommended are still going through the clinical trials and none has been certified by the WHO.
