WHO chief concedes 'slow' response to Congo sex abuse claims

The head of the World Health Organization has acknowledged the U_N_ health agency’s response to sexual abuse allegations involving employees who worked in Congo during an Ebola outbreak was “slow.”

LONDON -- The head of the World Health Organization acknowledged the U.N. health agency's response to sexual abuse allegations involving employees who worked in Congo during an Ebola outbreak was “slow,” following an Associated Press investigation that found senior WHO management knew of multiple cases of misconduct. As WHO’s highest decision-making body meets this week, countries were tackling subjects like how to reform the U.N. health agency's emergencies program after its missteps in responding to the coronavirus pandemic. The World Health Assembly hasn't devoted a specific agenda item to the alleged misconduct in Congo, but a roundtable talk on preventing “sexual exploitation and abuse” is scheduled for Friday. Diplomats, however, have already pressed WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on the issue behind closed-doors. At least six countries raised concerns last week about how the agency was handling sexual abuse and exploitation, citing recent press reports. Tedros tried to allay their worries. “I can understand the frustration,” he told a committee meeting of WHO’s Executive Board on May 19. According to a recording of the meeting obtained by the AP, the director-general said it took time to deal with security problems in Congo, to install a commission to investigate sex abuse claims and to get the group up and running.