GENEVA: World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Saturday announced an investigation into the UN agency's Western Pacific chief, a "senior staff" member, over claims of racism and misconduct.
“We are aware of some concerns since the end of 2021 and are following due process. In cooperation with a staff member, an investigation is underway,” Tedros said on the last day of the WHO Executive Council meeting in Geneva.
The WHO chief did not say when the investigation began, saying "there is a limit to what we can say at this time".
However, Tedros said that "we take these allegations seriously".
The serious allegations, detailed in an email seen by AFP after the case was disclosed by the Associated Press on Thursday, target Japanese doctor Takeshi Kasai, the agency's head of the Western Pacific region, who has already said he is cooperating with any investigation. ready to do.
According to the AP, dozens of WHO staff members filed an internal complaint in October before sending an email to countries at the UN agency's executive board in mid-January.
In the email, he accused Butcher of "authoritarian and racist leadership", saying he had regularly shared privileged information with the Japanese foreign ministry, did not want to criticize China and was "wasting" donor money. wanted.
Earlier this week many countries expressed their concern over the matter.
On Saturday, several diplomats called on the WHO again to investigate all allegations of misconduct.
"We take all allegations seriously and expect an independent investigation to be pursued as a priority," an Australian representative said on Saturday.
A British representative said: "Once again we are sorry that we first heard about this in the media".