WHO dismisses regional director for misconduct

WHO’s dismissal of Takeshi Kasai, Regional Director for the Western Pacific, could pressure WHO leadership to take decisive action in other misconduct cases. John Zarocostas reports from Geneva.

The decision by WHO, announced on March 8, to “terminate” the appointment of the Regional Director for the Western Pacific Takeshi Kasai after an investigation into allegations of misconduct has been welcomed by the international health community as a positive step. “I applaud WHO for doing this”, Lawrence O Gostin, a Professor of Global Health Law at Georgetown University, USA, told The Lancet. “I think WHO should set itself to the highest possible standards to make for a safe and respectful workplaces where everybody is valued…I think following a careful review of verified facts, that it was untenable for him to remain. And also I think that the member states of the region were supportive of that idea. So, I think it was exactly the right decision. And it’s one that probably should have been made earlier. Nonetheless, I was very pleased to see WHO act decisively.”

WHO said that, in line with its policy of zero tolerance for abusive conduct, the allegations were investigated and subsequently reviewed in accordance with the normal procedures applicable to all WHO staff members. This included the right of the Regional Director to receive all relevant evidence and respond to the allegations in line with due process. These procedures, it noted, resulted in findings of misconduct.

“WHO has been in the spotlight for how it’s been handling various complaints of sexual harassment, sexual abuse, and abusive behaviour more broadly. So, I think it seems to me like a good decision, but also an important signal they’re sending both internally—this kind of behaviour should not be tolerated—but also externally they are trying to persuade the broader community that they are taking these types of cases seriously”, Suerie Moon, Co-Director of the Global Health Centre at the Graduate Institute Geneva, told The Lancet.

WHO noted that the decision to terminate the appointment was made “after careful consideration of the findings, and following consultation with the Regional Committee for the Western Pacific and the Executive Board.” The Regional Committee met in Manila, Feb 27–28, and decided to dismiss Kasai. The AFP news agency reported that the vote was 13 to 11 in favour of termination. That recommedation was then deliberated on by the Executive Board in a closed special session, only the sixth in the history of WHO. The Associated Press reported that an internal WHO investigation found that Kasai harassed workers, including engaging in “aggressive communication, public humiliation (and) making racial slurs”.

The Lancet attempted to contact Kasai and the Japanese Mission in Geneva for comment on WHO’s decision, but received no reply.

Sheba Crocker, US Ambassador to the UN in Geneva, told The Lancet: “recognising the seriousness of the findings of misconduct, the United States joined other member states in the decision to terminate the appointment of the WPRO Regional Director and in reiterating our shared commitment to zero-tolerance of abusive conduct”. A delegate from an Asia-Pacific nation member described the outcome, however, “as a very painful decision”.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, has not addressed Kasai’s dismissal publicly, but in an email sent to all WHO staff on March 8, he said: “This has been an unprecedented and challenging journey for all of us – the Member States, the Secretariat, and the staff, particularly those in WPRO. I would like to thank WPRO colleagues for their dedication and continued commitment during this difficult and uncertain period.” Concerned WHO staff sent a letter to member states and the Executive Board in late 2022, stating that they appreciated WHO’s decision to put Kasai on leave, but noted that it did not happen for another 8 months (Aug, 23, 2022) after an official investigation into complaints “containing overwhelming evidence of abusive conduct” by the Regional Director had been initiated.

WHO diplomats and experts have said that the historic decision is expected to increase scrutiny of WHO. Gostin said he would like to see the decisiveness and high moral ground be used not just in cases of racial and other exploitation and abuse cases, but also in sexual abuse of WHO workers and aid workers during the Ebola virus outbreak. “I think there’s been wide documentation of very inappropriate and exploitative behaviour”, he said, “and WHO should be holding itself to the same standards”. “I do think they’ve used legal technicalities to get out of true accountability in sexual exploitation and abuse cases. Whereas here [the Kasai case], they have acted very well.”

A European delegate said the decision “shows we are saying we want WHO to maintain the highest norms.” WHO diplomats also said they would like to see “more transparency” surrounding cases. The Lancet