World Health Organization vigil continues

The World Health Organization cannot make any comment or decision regarding nuclear energy without deferring to the International Atomic Energy Agency which actively promotes nuclear power. On Friday, Dr. Alexey Yablokov, a Russian expert on Chernobyl, referred to this conflict in pointing out why his book - which found likely one million deaths as a result of the Chernobyl accident - has been met with silence by agencies like the WHO. A daily vigil outside WHO headquarters in Geneva continues. Dr. Yablokov's co-author, the late Vassili Nesterenko (far left), along with Yablokov (left) and many others have actively participated in the vigil. As Oliver Tickell wrote in The Guardian: the 1959 agreement gave "the IAEA an effective veto on any actions by the WHO that relate in any way to nuclear power – and so prevent the WHO from playing its proper role in investigating and warning of the dangers of nuclear radiation on human health." The WHO vigil is now entering its 204th consecutive week.