NEWS > HEALTH > WHO CHIEF BELIEVES SWINE FLU PRIMED FOR A COMEBACK

WHO CHIEF BELIEVES SWINE FLU PRIMED FOR A COMEBACK

May 4 2009

Geneva, Switzerland – The World Health Organization has had a lot of ups and downs since its founding over sixty years ago. Through highs like the eradication of small pox to lows like the HIV pandemic, WHO has always maintained a cool head. Now with the outbreak of H1N1, the so called Swine Flu, seemingly on the decline with little or no effort from the organization, officials are finally a little flustered and scrambling to maintain their reputation.

Dr. Margaret Chan, the head of the organization, has hit back at critics who have accused the organization of over-reacting to the disease, warning that the disease may return ‘with a vengeance’ in the coming months.

“We hope the virus fizzles out, because if it doesn’t we are heading for a big outbreak,” Chan told the Financial Times. “I’m not predicting the pandemic will blow up, but if I miss it and we don’t prepare, I fail. I’d rather over-prepare than not prepare.”

It was only a few days ago that the organization elevated the threat level of the disease to a ‘5’, the second highest level reached in the monitoring system’s short five year life span. With the infection and death rate tapering off, many now see it as unlikely that the disease will reach level 6, the highest level available, severely restricting WHO’s ability to continue giving press conferences and coming up with new charts.

“There have been strong criticisms of WHO in the past and it’s unlikely that their handling of this situation is going to better their profile in any significant capacity. WHO does a lot of good work around the world. Things such as monitoring outbreaks of major diseases, coordinating delivery of medication and supplies to countries, and researching diseases all keep them busy through the lean times but it’s crises that really give them value,” said Scrape TV Health analyst Rebecca Phelps. “Part of the problem may lie in the lack of major outbreaks which allows them to get rusty. They say they are ready but when it comes to it the lack of preparedness comes through. They are trying hard, that isn’t the issue, but it’s hard to go from standing to full speed without any prep.”

The organization has spent the last twenty years trying to eradicate polio, a disease which has infected thousands around the world. If successful it will mark the second time a disease has ever been totally eliminated from the planet, something WHO officials are quick to remind people was done by them.

“The issue with polio is that it is an almost antiquated disease. The countries that provide the majority of financing for these efforts have been free of the disease for decades and so for many the value of its eradication is limited. Sure they got rid of smallpox but that was thirty years ago. Disease prevention is like anything else, it’s a what have you done for me lately kind of thing,” continued Phelps. “The real concern here is how they can so accurately “predict” that the disease will make a comeback and how powerful it will be. One has to stop and think that an agency who depends on disease outbreaks would have
an intense interest in seeing one as prominent and panic inducing as the swine flu ‘come back with a vengeance’”

It should be noted that the third Die Hard movie, ‘Die Hard with a Vengeance’, involved a terrorist attack on New York City. The last real life attack on that city resulted in two wars and thousands of deaths, indicating a prime spot to promote panic.

“The danger here is that you obviously have someone in charge of this organization who is very defensive, under a lot of pressure, and has
a vested interest in making her actions seem rational and reasonable. That is exactly the kind of situation people find themselves in before acting out in violent ways,” continued Phelps. “If indeed the swine flu does make a comeback in the coming months there will likely be a lot of questions being directed at Dr. Chan and her cadre of scientists, provided they haven’t retreated to a secret mountain base in the Alps.”

It’s not immediately clear what kind of vetting process the World Health Organization employs when hiring officials, nor what kind of plans are in place to roust a super villain from a mountain base

Lauren Hebert, Health Correspondent

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