Hindi English Translation || Editorial || ​WHO is right: On the U.S. leaving the World Health Organization

​WHO is right: On the U.S. leaving the World Health Organization

The U.S. must return to WHO’s fold in its own interest

President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw (वापस लेना) the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO), based on charges of bias, is stunningly (अद्भुत, अति सुंदर) short sighted, and deeply concerning to the global health community. Pundits are predicting (भविष्यवाणी करना) that this move, if not withdrawn, or reconsidered (पुनर्विचार करना), may well unleash the butterfly effect — a cascading set of unpredictable consequences arising from even the smallest of changes in a system. Soon after his inauguration, Mr. Trump wasted no time in announcing the beginning of the process of ending the U.S.’s membership of WHO. In language that smacked (A sharp slap or strike; a taste or suggestion of something) of petulance (चिड़चिड़ापन), Mr. Trump, as he signed his first batch of executive orders, declared: “The World Health [Organization] ripped us off.” The U.S. will now leave the United Nations health agency in 12 months’ time and stop all financial contributions to its work. He accused the organisation of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic, and of being partisan (पक्षपाती) towards China, though the U.S. contributed more to its coffers. The move has not been entirely unexpected: during his previous term as U.S. President, he relentlessly (निरंतर, लगातार) criticised WHO for acting slow and being “owned and controlled by China”; in 2020 he initiated a move to halt funding to WHO, though it was scuppered (बर्बाद करना, विफल करना) as his term came to an end.

Why is the withdrawal of the U.S. significant? For starters, Mr. Trump is right — the U.S., which is a founding member of WHO, is also its biggest financial backer, contributing around 18% of its overall funding. Withdrawal of these funds will seriously impact health programmes being implemented across the world, including interventions for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and the eradication (उन्मूलन, समाप्ति) of certain infectious diseases. WHO is also involved in ensuring equity of access to life-saving drugs for people across the world, building stronger health systems, detecting and preventing disease outbreaks. If Mr. Trump could set his petulance aside, it would be clear that global health does not operate in silos, and neither a stern (कठोर, सख्त) countenance (A person's face or expression; support or approval) nor physical boundaries can keep pathogens out of one’s own geography. If any lessons have been learned at all from the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that no one is safe until everyone is safe, and that collaboration among nations, and open sharing of data and technology are essential to tackle pandemics. WHO has reached out to the U.S., hoping that it will reconsider its decision and engage once again with it. As fantastic as it may sound, medicine is no stranger to miracles of science, and the health community hopes one more will restore the U.S. back to WHO’s fold.

Courtesy: The Hindu

Important Word List With Meaning

1.Withdraw (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - वापस लेना
English Meaning - To remove or retreat from a position or situation.

2.Stunning (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - अद्भुत, अति सुंदर
English Meaning - Extremely impressive or attractive.

3.Predict (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - भविष्यवाणी करना
English Meaning - To say what will happen in the future.

4.Reconsider (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - पुनर्विचार करना
English Meaning - To think about something again, especially with the possibility of changing a decision.

5.Petulance (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - चिड़चिड़ापन
English Meaning - The quality of being childishly sulky or bad-tempered.

6.Partisan (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - पक्षपाती
English Meaning - A strong supporter of a party, cause, or person.

7.Relentless (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - निरंतर, लगातार
English Meaning - Oppressively constant or unyielding.

8.Scupper (Verb)

Hindi Meaning - बर्बाद करना, विफल करना
English Meaning - To prevent or ruin something.

9.Eradication (Noun)

Hindi Meaning - उन्मूलन, समाप्ति
English Meaning - The complete removal or destruction of something.

10.Stern (Adjective)

Hindi Meaning - कठोर, सख्त
English Meaning - Serious and strict in attitude or manner.

11.Countenance (Noun)

English Meaning - A person's face or expression; support or approval.

12.Smack (Noun)

English Meaning - A sharp slap or strike; a taste or suggestion of something.