WHO resolution proposes closing Moscow office over Ukraine war

WORLD Health Organization (WHO) member states will consider a resolution against Russia this week for its invasion of Ukraine, including the possible closure of a major regional office in Moscow, a document obtained by Reuters showed.

The resolution, which is to be considered tomorrow, stopped short of harsher sanctions such as suspending Russia from the UN global health agency’s board as well as a temporary freeze of its voting rights, three diplomatic and political sources said.

The draft, prepared largely by EU diplomats and submitted to the WHO’s regional office for Europe, follows a request by Ukraine, signed by at least 38 other members including Turkey, France and Germany.

The move is seen as a political step that would further isolate Moscow, rather than having any significant health consequences for Russia or global health policy, which diplomats said they were at pains to avoid.

The text refers to a health emergency in Ukraine and is set to condemn Russia’s military actions which it said had resulted in mass casualties, disruptions to health services, increased risks of death from chronic diseases, increased risks of infectious diseases and of radiological and chemical events in Ukraine, the region and beyond.

It asks the regional director, Hans Kluge, to explore the “possible relocation” of the WHO European Office for the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases outside Russia. It is now located in Moscow from where it covers the entire region. It does not suggest closing the WHO’s country office, also in Moscow, that was established in 1998.

The resolution calls for a possible suspension of all meetings in Russia.

It tasks WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus to prepare a report on Ukraine’s health emergency to its main annual World Health Assembly meeting from May 22 to 28.

Russia, a member of the WHO’s European region, has not responded to requests for comment on the meeting and its agenda sent to its diplomatic mission in Geneva.

A spokesperson for WHO Europe confirmed that a draft resolution that had yet to be officially published would be discussed at the meeting tomorrow. He said he expected Russia to attend the session. |