Reforming the World Health Organization

What influence do the BRICS wield

Bibliographic Data

ID6049703
AuthorsLara Gautier (0000-0002-9515-295X, Bocconi University), Andrew Harmer (0000-0003-3025-9454, University of Edinburgh, corresponding author), Fabrizio Tediosi (0000-0001-8671-9400, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute), Eduardo Missoni (0000-0003-2296-4145, Bocconi University)
Year2014
Volume20
Issue2
Pages163-181
Publication date2014-04-03
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueContemporary Politics (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1356-9775 • E-ISSN: 1469-3631
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/13569775.2014.907987
OpenAlexW1991749710
LanguageEN
Citations received10
References cited17

The World Health Organization (WHO) is currently undergoing fundamental reform that is intended to impact its programmes and priority setting and its financial and governing structures. Within the reform debates, new relations of powers are emerging among traditional donors and emerging economies such as the 'BRICS': Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. These five emerging economies have formally committed 'to strengthen and legitimise the WHO as the coordinating authority in global health' through the principle of multilateralism. In this paper, the results of a qualitative study – based on 21 key informant interviews – that seeks to better understand BRICS' engagement in this organisation and the extent to which their action enables these countries to influence the reform process were presented. The results show that individual BRICS countries found natural pairings with each other on both particular elements of the reform, notably governance and WHO financing, and specific health issues. While numerous examples of individual BRICS countries seeking to raise the profile of specific health issues were found, some evidence of a coordinated effort to influence reform as a bloc was also found. Although this was largely limited to rhetorical announcements of support in formal Declarations and Communiqués, it nevertheless articulates a vision of the WHO as an organisation with a broad mandate delivered with sufficient, predictable funding

China · Corporate governance · Economic growth · Economics · Emerging markets · Global governance · Global health · Health care · Mandate · Multilateralism · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Public relations · Sociology · Global Public Health Policies and Epidemiology · HIV/AIDS Impact and Responses · International Development and Aid · Law · Public Administration · Finance