WHO’s refusal to condemn China ‘putting medics at risk’

THE World Health Organisation has made humanitarian work more dangerous by its refusal to condemn the abuse of doctors in Hong Kong, a leading surgeon has said.

Darren Mann, who exposed China’s tactics during last year’s protests, said the WHO’s failure to stand up to Beijing damaged the principle of protection for medics working under a red cross.

The British trauma expert said the international body’s “yawning silence” risked emboldening dictators and war criminals to target medics elsewhere.

“The WHO has not said anything to hold up the principles of the protection of medical volunteers working in compliance with the principles of impartiality and independence under the symbol of the red cross,” he told Sunday Telegraph. “What are the consequences to those victims injured in violent conflict globally if medical volunteers are no longer free to provide care at the point of need, if we accept a derogated standard of humanitarianism with Chinese characteristics?”

It follows criticism levelled during the pandemic at the WHO that it is unduly influenced by the Chinese regime.

Some experts said that a reluctance to alert the world to Beijing’s refusal to disclose details of the Wuhan outbreak cost governments weeks to prepare.

Last November, a photograph emerged of protests at Hong Kong Polytechnic University showing dozens of individuals clearly identified as medical staff detained in handcuffs. Details subsequently emerged of doctors being arrested in the middle of providing treatment. Police were also alleged to have hidden in ambulances in order to get close to protesters.