WHO is upset with “allegations” reported by AP
Damascus, Syria (North Press) – World Health Organization expressed on Monday, its complete upset due to the accusations against the WHO Syria representative.
The AP on Thursday published an investigation based on more than 100 confidential UN emails, documents and other materials showing that WHO staffers saying that the organization’s Syria representative, Dr. Akjemal Magtymova, engaged in abusive behavior, pressured WHO staff to sign contracts with high-ranking Syrian politicians and piled Syrian government officials with gifts.
The head of the World Health Organization’s Eastern Mediterranean region, Ahmed al-Mandhari said in an email sent to all staff, “The allegations negatively impact the people of Syria, whom we strive to serve.”
Following the staffers’ accusations, two members of WHO’s ethics department in Geneva, including its director, visited the organization’s Eastern Mediterranean headquarters in Cairo, which oversees the organization’s branch in Syria.
Al-Mandhari clarified that the reason behind the visit is to raise the awareness through multiple ethical conduct’s sessions.
“The purpose of the visit is to advance awareness through various sessions, on the ethical conduct, principles, values and expectations,” al-Mandhari said.
According to the same investigation published by AP on October 20, WHO staffer said that at a time when the country was struggling to obtain coronavirus vaccines, WHO Syria representative Magtymova once threw a party honoring her own achievements costing more than $11,000 at WHO’s expense.
The accusations also included piling government officials with gifts such as computers, gold coins and cars.
The WHO confirmed in a statement that it was reviewing the charges against Magtumova and said it had requested the assistance of external investigators. On the other hand, Magtymova declined to comment and called the allegations “defamatory.”