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LATEST NEWS UPDATES | World Health Organisation allying with fronts for commercial interests? -Rema Nagarajan

World Health Organisation allying with fronts for commercial interests? -Rema Nagarajan

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published Published on Jan 21, 2014   modified Modified on Jan 21, 2014
-The Times of India


NEW DELHI: The World Health Organisation's official relations with various non-State actors are under the scanner as the next WHO executive board meeting took off in Geneva on Monday. The non-State actors are being accused of representing the private commercial sector and of being guided by the market profit-making logic and not by public interest.

The NGO Policy of the WHO defines NGOs as those groups whose main area of competence fall within the purview of WHO and whose aims and activities are in conformity with the apirit, purpose and principles of the constitution of WHO. It adds that NGOs shall centre on development work in health or health-related fields and shall be free from concerns that are primarily of a commercial or profit-making nature.

According to IBFAN, a worldwide network of organization working to reduce infant and child mortality, many entities in official relations with the WHO such as International Special Dietary Food Industries (ISDI), CropLife International, International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI) and the Industry Council for Development (ICD) represent the private commercial sector leading to conflict of interest which undermines the independence, integrity and trustworthiness of the WHO.

ISDI represents the baby feeding industry, CropLife International represents companies such as BASF, Bayer CropScience, Dow Agrosciences, DuPont, FMC, Monsanto, Sumitomo and Syngenta, ILSI Board of Trustees includes Nestle, Coca Cola, Kellogg, Pepsi, Monsanto, Ajinomoto, Danone, General Mills and ICD consists of food companies such as Nestle, Mars, Unilever and Ajinomoto, pointed out an IBFAN statement.

Conflating the 'not-for profit' status and the 'not working in the interest of profit-making' is one of the key reasons why such entities gained NGO status, said the IBFAN statement adding that it welcomed the proposal to make public the work of the Standing Committee on NGOs. Being currently confidential it is not known how many entities will be reviewed or considered for official relations status with the WHO. Incidentally, IBFAN too is applying for official relations with the WHO.

In the meeting in January last year the Standing Committee has decided to "postpone consideration of the application for admission into official relations from the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition(GAIN)". The committee has sought further information concerning the nature and extent of the Alliance's links with the global food industry, and the position of the Alliance with regard to its support and advocacy of WHO's nutrition policies, including infant feeding and marketing of complementary foods. GAIN will reapplying in this meeting to be considered for official relations with the WHO.

"With assets of $61million, GAIN claims to work with 600 companies and civil society organisations. GAIN's goal is reach 1.5 billion people with fortified foods that have a sustainable nutritional impact." Following complaints from IBFAN GAIN has now 'divorced' from the baby food manufacturer Danone. However, because GAIN is focusing on the first '1000 days' many other global food companies who market foods and supplements for infants, young children and nursing mothers are members of GAIN. IBFAN considers that it is a misnomer for GAIN to be listed as an NGO and accepted into official relations with WHO when it has such a commercial objective. Indeed this would go against WHO's current valid NGO policy," said the IBFAN statement.

The Standing Committee is composed of five member states: Malaysia, Myanmar, Namibia, Panama and Lebanon. A large number of organizations and networks are tracking the way the official relations with WHO is being decided as they fear it could lead to undue commercial influence on the WHO mandate.


The Times of India, 20 January, 2014, http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/World-Health-Organisation-allying-with-fronts-for-commercial-interests/articleshow/29118352.cms


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