The Latest: WHO confirms internal misconduct probe underway

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This article was published 17/01/2019 (2746 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

LONDON – The Latest on misconduct allegations at the World Health Organization (all times local):

6:15 p.m.

The World Health Organization has confirmed it is investigating allegations of misconduct following an Associated Press story that revealed its chief ordered an internal probe to examine explosive charges made in emails to the agency’s top managers.

The U.N. health agency said in a statement issued Thursday that charges of racism, sexism and corruption “are being investigated according to WHO’s established procedures.”

The statement says the allegations had been circulating internally and addressed by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at several staff meetings.

In audio recordings provided to the AP, Tedros thanked the author of the emails and said he had ordered an internal probe.

Critics doubt WHO can investigate the allegations properly and have called for the investigation to be made public.

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11 a.m.

The head of the World Health Organization has ordered an internal investigation into allegations the U.N. health agency is rife with racism, sexism and corruption, after a series of anonymous emails with the explosive charges were sent to top managers last year.

Three emails addressed to WHO directors — and obtained by the Associated Press — complained about “systematic racial discrimination” against African staffers and alleged other instances of wrongdoing, including claims that some of the money intended to fight Ebola in Congo was misspent.

Last month, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told staffers he had instructed the head of WHO’s office of internal oversight to look into the charges raised by the emails.

Critics, however, doubt that WHO can effectively investigate itself and have called for the probe to be made public.