Editor, The Times:
Yesterday I had a conversation with my daughter who lives in Edmonton. She pointed out that post 2008 the World Health Organization (WHO) funding was slashed in half — from $469 million to 228 million.
This was the part of the WHO that was supposed to keep tabs on such diseases as SARS and Ebola — to make sure they don’t get out of control.
At least 1,000 staff lost their jobs — one half of them in Africa. So when one hears about the WHO’s ‘weak response’ there is quite a legitimate reason and it’s not all lack of leadership.
In fact, as this slashing of funds shows, a good part of Ebola running out of control can be put squarely on the failures of the giant Moloch of globalized so-called free market capitalism that simply swallows up everything in its path. Danger from Ebola? Nothing compared to the bottom line!
All the budget shortfall of the WHO was downloaded onto those African countries that could least afford it.
Now, as the overworked understaffed health workers labour and die in an uphill battle to stop Ebola, this dreadful disease has reached the shores of North America.
Perhaps it wasn’t such a good idea to cut the fat at the WHO.
Dennis Peacock
Clearwater, B.C.
