The World Health Organization's Reform After COVID ‐19: Between Old Habits and a New Normal

ABSTRACT

The COVID‐19 pandemic subjected the World Health Organization (WHO) to its sternest test. While the rationale for its existence became clearer than ever, widespread criticism of its pandemic response eroded its standing, already compromised by previous health emergencies and a highly competitive global health landscape. Since 2020, calls to reform the WHO have intensified, echoing past initiatives that drew significant scholarly attention. However, studies on WHO reform often lack breadth and analytical benchmarks while failing to consider the preferences of member states and other principals. This article fills these gaps by examining key stakeholders in post‐COVID‐19 WHO reform efforts and explaining how the initiatives undertaken relate to the notions of robustness, effectiveness and democracy. Our analysis relies on original interviews with officials and observers, public records and secondary literature. Findings suggest that the WHO Secretariat and member states have identified synergies between robustness, effectiveness and democracy, although emphases have varied and trade‐offs have also emerged. Despite uneven progress and overlooked institutional weaknesses, the post‐COVID‐19 reform agenda maintains significant momentum. Going forward, it will require a deeper reflection on the WHO's role in global health governance and how to weather the United States' retreat from multilateralism.