[jgalt212]

Right now, I trust WHO slightly more than I trust CCP. Biden is right to re-engage them, but they have a lot of work to do to get its reputation back.

They can probably start by capping payments from any one country as to minimize the effects of soft power.

An under-funded WHO is better than a biased WHO.

[lostlogin]

Are you aware that the messed up situation with WHO funding is due to US policy?

“ Though the US paid $446.5m in 2019 compared with China’s $43m, the bulk of American funding was voluntary; the organization only receives 17% of its funding through “assessed” contributions, AKA country membership dues. The bulk of its budget is funded through voluntary donations, for which countries can earmark specific use, because President Ronald Reagan passed a “zero-growth policy” for WHO funding in the 1980s. With the assessed dues frozen at 1990s levels, the WHO has been forced to increasingly rely on donated funds.”

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/oct/19/john-oliver-...

[mcguire]

Note that the WHO has very similar problems to the International Red Cross: if they don't play by the rules of the governments in question, they get kicked out and can't do anything. Something is better than nothing, right?

On the other hand, the WHO after the pandemic had clearly emerged continued to appear biased, seriously damaging its reputation.

[raverbashing]

Yeah, I trust WHO technicians much more than their "upper management" who wasn't light on appeasement and delaying of important actions