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An online petition calling the resignation of the WHO Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has gained over 720,000 signatures challenging his incompetency in controlling the global health emergency owing to the spread of the novel coronavirus.

According to the petitions, it claims the incompetency of the United Nationals health official and the organisational efforts towards the constant coronavirus outbreak were not planned and in plain sight, incompetent.

The petition was submitted on Change.org and was later translated to multiple languages including German, French, Spanish and even Arabic. The description of the petition described Tedros “unfit” for the head of the global organisation and demands that he should forego his status immediately.

The petition further reads, “Part of it is related to Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus's underestimating the coronavirus. We strongly think Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus is not fit for his role as WHO Director General. We call for [his] Immediate Resignation."

The main issue posed by the protestors was Tedros’ failure in designating the coronavirus outbreak in China as a global health emergency in late January.

According to the petition, it allegedly stated that instead of indulging in further investigation and independently verifying the number of deaths and the confirmed cases in China, Tedros relied on the Chinese government for the data. It has been reported that the country had downplayed the outbreak within the country during the initial days to prevent the negative economic impacts on the country.

The petitions also expressed the public’s disappointment stating that they rely on WHO to be politically neutral. Without any kinds of investigation, Tedros has been blindly relying on the data provided by the Chinese government, not understanding the impacts of this virus before it took a turn for the worse.

It also brings forth the alleged exclusion of Taiwan because of its political contentions with China. This shows that WHO favours the Chinese government over the rest.

Even the Deputy Prime Minister of Japan, Taro Aso made a comment about the petition stating that the release of the same was done with the worries that WHO would have to change their name to “Chinese Health Organisation”.

Over 1.3 million people have already been infected with the virus, claiming over 74,000 lives at this point globally. United States is the worst hit with over 367,000 confirmed cases and over 10,000 reported deaths.

By Somapika Dutta