- COVID-19 origins' lead investigator Peter Ben Embarek was fired last year
- Embarek denies the harassment accusation
- The WHO scientist's dismissal is appealable
The World Health Organization (WHO) fired a primary investigator into the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic "due to sexual impropriety."
The dismissal of Peter K. Ben Embarek, an expert in food safety and animal-borne diseases, was reported by The Financial Times on Wednesday.
WHO Scientist Tasked With Uncovering COVID-19 Origins Fired
WHO spokesperson Marcia Poole said in an email that the findings derive from events that occurred between 2015 and 2017. In 2018, the agency's investigation team heard of the allegations for the first time.
She stated that there was significant congestion at the time and that the ensuing investigation and administrative processes took several years. The agency did not provide additional information about the nature of the complaints. However, it did note that other allegations against Dr. Ben Embarek "could not be thoroughly investigated" because the victim or victims refused to participate in the process.
Dr. Ben Embarek told Reuters that an incident from 2017 had been resolved. According to Reuters, he stated, "I am unaware of any other complaints, and no other complaints have ever been brought to my attention. I vigorously contest the definition of harassment, and I am quite optimistic about defending my rights."
Dr. Ben Embarek led a World Health Organization mission to Wuhan, China, in 2021 to investigate the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic. WHO-selected international experts collaborated with Chinese experts to conduct the investigation, which China had repeatedly delayed.
Dr. Ben Embarek stated at a news conference in Wuhan that it was "extremely implausible" that the virus escaped from a Wuhan laboratory, citing the laboratory's safety precautions. Per NY Times, the WHO team was criticized for furthering narratives promoted by Chinese officials, including the possibility that the virus originated outside of China and spread through frozen food shipments.
Ben Embarek is the highest-ranking WHO official known to have been fired since the UN agency implemented reforms to enhance its response to sexual misconduct. He has been frequently cited in the media regarding the pandemic's origins.
His dismissal is appealable through the internal justice system of the United Nations. Ben Embarek was the main WHO representative on a 2021 mission to China to investigate the origin of COVID-19.
COVID-19 Origins
The team's conclusion that bats were the most probable initial hosts, leading to a pandemic in humans, made international headlines. It also determined that a virus leak from a Chinese laboratory was "extremely implausible," despite demands from various scientists to investigate the possibility.
Ben Embarek later stated that the team was subjected to political pressure, including from outside China, but the report was not altered as a consequence. He failed to discern the origin of the pressure, as per ABC.net.
Since a 2021 investigation revealed that dozens of aid workers, including some WHO employees, were involved in sexual abuse and exploitation during an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the WHO has revamped its approach to handling sexual abuse and misconduct cases.
People are more inclined to report sexual misconduct, according to the agency, which is taking action when allegations are confirmed. It has begun publishing a monthly report on disciplinary actions taken.
