The eight articles and a book review discussing “Innovations in Global Health in the New Political Era” in the a special issue of the Global Health Governance Journal, edited by Dr. Devi Sridhar and Prof. Larry Gostin,  makes very interesting reading. A key theme running, essentially, through all the articles and book review is the need for reforming the World Health Organization (WHO) if this United Nations (UN) agency is to play its rightful role in addressing the challenges that the world faces in the 21st Century. As the editors note in the introduction, “The contributors to this special issue have made a real case for reform in the global health governance system.”

Is the WHO Fit for Purpose?

There is no doubt that today the world, more than ever before, needs a robust global health body. This, as I argue in my article in the special issue titled “Opportunities for the Obama Administration and the G20 ‘to Do Good’ for Global Health”, is because deepening globalisation, spurred by the huge improvements in air travel, increased international trade, the power of the internet and the global labour mobility has made healthcare and health isues truly global.

Theoretically, therefore, the need for a stronger and better funded WHO is obvious. The real question, however, is whether WHO, as currently structured, governed and run, can be the global health body of the 21st Century. The answer that seems to emerge in the collection of articles in the journal is that WHO, if it is to play its role in the new world, will require innovative reforms (some quite urgent) at a number of levels.

Time to Rethink WHO’s Role in Global Health Governance

Some may argue that at this time of epidemics (H1N1) and a range of other emerging global health challenges, including those related to the health impacts of climate change, it is not the right time to think about high level reform at WHO. Indeed, because of the idea that  WHO is a UN agency with strong social values and grounding, many might see WHO in a saintly light. Margaret Chan, WHO’s current Director General in a quote cited in the introduction to the special issue of the journal argues that WHO  ”policies are guided by scientific evidence, and not vested interests.” She goes on to say that “The health sector has humanity’s best interests at heart, a strong moral dimension, and a strong set of social values among its many stars.”

But a closer look tells us that this is the moment. This is the moment to rethink WHO, if we truly care about global health. There are important political opportunities for reform coupled with a clear case for reform, as this issue of the journal demonstrates, as well as extraordinary new challenges, such as climate change, that the 1948 structure of WHO can no longer fully engage with.