The World Health Organization (WHO) today fired one of its senior doctors after a British medic accused him of groping her at a conference in an incident that left her feeling like a ‘piece of meat’.
Temo Waqanivalu, a Fijian doctor who headed a non-communicable disease unit at the headquarters of the global health organization in Geneva, was fired today – six months after Rosie James, 26, accused him of sexually assaulting her during an event in Berlin.
The WHO said it had dismissed Waqanivalu for “findings of sexual misconduct” against him following at least three reported allegations against the doctor in the past five years.
The UN health agency declined to provide more details on its findings, but it came six months after Dr James accused Waqanivalu of groping her buttocks and touching her breasts during networking drinks at the World Health Summit in Berlin in October.
The British-Canadian doctor publicly reported the incident at the time without mentioning Waqanivalu. She tweeted on Oct. 18 last year: “I was sexually assaulted tonight at the World Health Summit by a WHO employee.
The World Health Organization today fired Temo Waqanivalu (pictured), a Fijian doctor who headed a non-communicable disease unit at the World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, over allegations of sexual abuse
Temo Waqanivalu, a Fijian doctor who headed a non-communicable disease unit at the Global Health Agency headquarters in Geneva, was fired today six months after Rosie James, 26, (pictured) accused him of sexually assaulting her. abused at an event in Berlin
The British-Canadian doctor publicly reported the incident at the time without mentioning Waqanivalu
“This wasn’t the first time in global health that this has happened (for MANY of us). I’ll report it. So disappointing and discouraging. We have to do better.’
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus himself responded to her tweet, saying he was “appalled” by the allegations and offered his personal assistance, stressing that the agency has “zero tolerance for sexual assault.”
In January, The Associated Press named Waqanivalu the medic who accused Dr. James of assault.
“We were talking about his work at WHO and he just started putting his hand on my buttocks and holding it there,” Dr James said in January. She said she felt intimidated when she spoke to a senior manager of the organization.
“I felt this power dynamic and I felt really uncomfortable,” she said, explaining that she had moved to join her friends, who told her that Waqanivalu’s actions were inappropriate.
“Somehow I got talking to him again and he was literally holding my butt,” she said. Dr. James said that Waqanivalu had “held my buttock firmly in his hand several times (and) pressed his crotch against her.” She added that he later touched her breast.
Before leaving, Waqanivalu says that he cornered her and repeatedly asked for her hotel room number.
“I was very scared and belittled and sexualized,” Dr. James shared the Telegraph at the time. “When I got back to my hotel room later, I was mostly angry…then I tweeted impulsively.”
James was later interviewed by WHO researchers. She said WHO officials told her she would not be entitled to see the final study report. James also said that Tedros never contacted her personally, but that the agency’s communications director contacted her and that the two had lunch at the conference in Berlin.
She said WHO also offered to reimburse her for all private therapy costs related to her meeting with Waqanivalu.
Dr. James (pictured) accused Waqanivalu of groping her buttocks and touching her breasts during networking drinks at the World Health Summit in Berlin in October
Waqanivalu was also charged with similar sexual misconduct in 2018, with little impact on his career.
That allegation was reported to senior agency directors and others in 2018, before the prosecution was told that pursuing a formal investigation might not be in its best interests, according to the documents.
A former WHO ombudsman who helped review the earlier allegation against Waqanivalu noted the similarities between the allegations made by the two women several years apart and suggested the agency had missed an opportunity to stamp out bad behavior .
And the Financial times said earlier this month it had uncovered a third allegation against him involving a junior associate in his mid-20s, dating back to a networking event in 2017.
Waqanivalu “categorically” denied ever sexually assaulting anyone, including at the Berlin conference, according to correspondence between him and WHO researchers. He said the allegations were “false” and could “irreparably damage” his career and reputation.
The doctor said there may have been “a mutual misunderstanding” in Berlin and that his accuser may have been “under the influence of alcohol.” He said he was “baffled” and “confused” by the sexual misconduct allegation.
WHO spokesperson Marcia Poole said today: ‘Temo Waqanivalu has been dismissed from WHO following findings of sexual misconduct against him and associated disciplinary process.’
Poole stressed that “sexual misconduct of any kind by anyone working for WHO – whether as staff, consultant or partner – is unacceptable.”
She pointed out that over the past year and a half, WHO has been implementing a comprehensive organization-wide reform program to prevent sexual misconduct and to ensure that there is no impunity if it does occur and no tolerance for inaction.”
“We encourage anyone who may have been a victim of sexual misconduct to come forward through our confidential reporting mechanisms,” she said.
“All cases will be reviewed as soon as possible.”
The claims against Waqanivalu are the latest in a series of allegations of misconduct against people working for WHO, which is tasked with leading the international response to acute crises, including COVID-19 and Ebola.
In May 2021, it emerged that WHO senior managers had been made aware of allegations of sexual abuse during an Ebola outbreak in Congo, but did little to stop it.
A WHO-appointed panel later found that more than 80 WHO-led workers sexually assaulted women. No senior WHO officials involved in the alleged exploitation have been fired.