During the COVID-19 crisis there has been some criticism of the World Health Organisation as to whether it declared a pandemic soon enough or covered up for China’s failings. But few commentators have explained the role and responsibilities it shares with its member states in dealing with a pandemic. A prototype of the International Health Regulations were conceived during the cholera epidemics of the mid 1800s, and but the most current version of the IHR was formalised in 2005 in response to SARS.

Associate Professor Adam Kamradt-Scott has documented the political and social factors that have accompanied the implementation of the IHR. In this podcast we consider how the unprecedented scale of the current pandemic and the mixed response from member states has challenged the viability of the WHO.

Guests
Associate Professor Adam Kamradt-Scott (University of Sydney, United States Studies Centre) 

Production
Written and produced by Mic Cavazzini. Music courtesy of Free Music Archive includes ‘Amsterdam’ by LASERS , ‘Capgras’ by Ben Carey and ‘Let Us Overcome’ by Tayler Watts. Image licenced from Getty Images. 

Editorial feedback for this episode was kindly provided by physicians of the RACP’s Podcast Editorial Group;  Rosalynn Pszczola, Li-Zsa Tan, Michael Herd, Sern Wei Yeoh, Oliver Dillon, Priya Garg, Ilana Ginges, Duncan Austin, Saion Chaterjee, Leah Krishchock and Lisa Mounsey 

Please visit the RACP website for a transcript embedded with citations. Fellows of the College can claim CPD credits for listening and additional reading.