UK Edition
Following widespread criticism from donors, human rights groups and several medical organisations, the World Health Organisation (WHO) Sunday withdrew its decision to appoint Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe as a Goodwill Ambassador.
In a statement, Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, recently appointed WHO director-general, said: "Over the last few days, I have reflected on my appointment... As a result I have decided to rescind the appointment. I have listened carefully to all who have expressed their concerns, and heard the different issues that they have raised."
Mr Mugabe, 93, who has been in power since independence from the UK in 1980, took a charter flight from Harare to Uruguay last week to attend WHO’s global conference on non-communicable disease, which include heart attacks, strokes, asthma, and diabetes.
When bestowing the honour last week, Dr Tedros called Zimbabwe "a country that places universal health coverage and health promotion at the centre of its policies to provide healthcare to all."
The UK government expressed its dismay at the honour bestowed by the WHO - the UN's healthcare branch - and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the appointment was "absolutely unacceptable and inconceivable”.
The Wellcome Trust, the World Heart Federation and several Zimbabwean doctors and human rights groups protested the decision, which has turned into a public relations disaster for Dr Tedros, an Ethiopian national who had pledged to reform the organisation.
The announcement of Mr Mugabe’s appointment sparked outrage from many Zimbabweans, who suffer under the country's crumbling healthcare system.
Mr Mugabe's policies obliterated the country’s healthcare system, once the best in Africa, to a point where today there are virtually no medical facilities in the decrepit state hospitals.
Dr Mark Sonderup, vice chair of the huge South African Medical Association said he had been shocked at Mr Mugabe’s appointment: “If this is the UN’s benchmark, it renders any further appointments or honours by the UN as pointless.”
Violet Gonda, popular Zimbabwean commentator and broadcaster tweeted criticism of the WHO and Mr Mugabe: “So they dish out accolades without fact checking. Collapse of education and healthcare is his legacy.”
Leading opposition politician and former reformist finance minister in Zimbabwe’s inclusive government, Tendai Biti, said: “What was the WHO doing appointing a tin pot dictator like Mugabe in the first place? There is no water at our main hospital today, let alone drugs for patients. We have had 37 horrible years with Mugabe in power.”
Mr Mugabe does not seek medical treatment in Zimbabwe but travels about three times a year to consult doctors in Singapore at the Gleneagles Medical Centre.