The new head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) is rethinking a plan to appoint Zimbabwe\u2019s President Robert Mugabe as a goodwill ambassador.<\/p>\n
Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus\u2019s original proposal sparked an outcry.<\/p>\n
He had previously praised Zimbabwe for its commitment to public health.<\/p>\n
But Mr Mugabe\u2019s critics say Zimbabwe\u2019s healthcare system has collapsed under his 30-year rule, with staff often going without pay while medicines are in short supply.<\/p>\n
It led Zimbabwean human rights lawyer Doug Coltart to take to Twitter to question how the WHO felt about having \u201ca Goodwill Ambassador who destroyed the health sector in his country\u201d.<\/p>\n
Other social media users accused the president \u2013 who, at 93, has outlived his country\u2019s average life expectancy by more than three decades \u2013 of travelling abroad to receive his own medical treatment.<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the UK government described his selection as \u201csurprising and disappointing\u201d given his country\u2019s human rights record, and warned it could overshadow the WHO\u2019s work.<\/p>\n
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he \u201cthought it was a bad April Fool\u2019s joke\u201d, while the US state department said it \u201cclearly contradicts the United Nations ideals of respect for human rights and human dignity\u201d.<\/p>\n
Zimbabwe\u2019s leader has been frequently taken to task over human rights abuses by both the EU and the US.<\/p>\n
Other groups who have criticised Mr Mugabe\u2019s appointment include the Wellcome Trust, the NCD Alliance, UN Watch, the World Heart Federation and Action Against Smoking.<\/p>\n
Dr Tedros had said Zimbabwe was a country that \u201cplaces universal health coverage and health promotion at the centre of its policies to provide health care to all\u201d.<\/p>\n
However, the Ethiopian said on Saturday he was \u201crethinking his approach in light of WHO values\u201d.<\/p>\n
Mr Mugabe was supposed to be goodwill ambassador \u201cto help tackle non-communicable diseases\u201d, which includes things like heat attacks and asthma.<\/p>\n
Dr Tedros is the first African to lead the WHO. He was elected in May with a mandate to tackle perceived politicisation in the organisation.<\/p>\n
Source: BBC<\/p>\n
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