The World Health Organization is creating a contingency fund, among other reforms, so that it can respond quickly to global health crises. It is also creating an emergency workforce that will serve when a rapid response is needed. The reforms are in response to the strong criticism WHO received because of its delay in dealing with the Ebola epidemic in Western Africa.
The announcement was made at an emergency meeting held in January in Geneva of the executive board that was convened to discuss the organization's response to Ebola. Dr. Margaret Chan, the director-general of WHO said that the epidemic showed that crisis management at the agency must be strengthened. There are 34 member countries on WHO's executive board.
Other reforms included the development of "quality, safe, effective and affordable vaccines and treatments" and naming a WHO special representative to coordinate the fight against Ebola.
A resolution asking for reforms had been brought by South African and the United States, and was adopted by consensus at the meeting. The meeting of the WHO executive board was only the third emergency meeting in the agency's history.
Chan called Ebola a "mega-crisis" that overwhelmed the organization's capacity. "Member states truly understand that the world does need a collective defense mechanism for global health security," she said.
The contingency fund is expected to contain $100 million, which Chan called a good starting point.
Although the Ebola crisis in Western African is slowing down, it has been the worst in history. It killed nearly 9,000 people, primarily in Liberia, Guinea, and Sierra Leone. The mortality rate for those who catch the virus is around 50%.
"Ebola is a tragedy that has taught the world, including WHO, many lessons also about how to prevent similar events in the future," Chan said at the meeting.