Chief-in-Editor  Prof. Badria A. Al-Awadi

Several social, economic and health organizations and bodies have emerged seeking to preserve the life of mankind and to organize and develop relations between states and human societies in the post-world wars period, and the preceding and intersecting diseases and epidemics such as the Spanish flu that spread in Europe and the world and led to the death of more than 50 million people in 1918.
Moreover, these bodies were established in order to revive the values ​​of Human solidarity, mitigating the effects and repercussions of wars, conflicts, diseases and epidemics that are still causing the death of many people, and to help achieve human development.
Among these organizations is the United Nations Economic and Social Council (1946), the World Health Organization (1948) which is affiliated with the United Nations and Médecins Sans Frontières (1971), an independent, voluntary, organization that strives to provide medical services in the affected areas. This is in addition to a number of special organizations such as the International Committee of the Red Cross, established in 1863 to protect Victims of armed conflict.
These efforts were strengthened with the spread of medical and health colleges all over the world and the increased awareness of the importance of expanding and developing scientific research to confront epidemics and incurable disease. This trend was also adopted by the governments of the newly de-colonized countries. This was later supported by the growth of the role of the private sector in establishing specialized hospitals and clinics.
In light of this, the preservation of public health and the number of hospitals and doctors per thousand inhabitants has become one of the contemporary human development standards. It has also become part of the open international economic plans and work standards by promoting social responsibility that includes supporting the health and medical sectors in developing countries.
As a result of all these developments, human societies have believed that they created, collectively and individually, solid barriers in the face of epidemics, diseases and disasters. They believed that the dark eras they went through were over. However, their beliefs were compromised, reflecting a certain weakness and limitations when faced with the COVID-19 pandemic, which revealed great gaps in these concepts.
It has been found that the information and health safety network established through the World Health Organization and through other official and voluntary organizations, is not functioning in a sound, proper and effective manner. The available information indicates that the virus appeared in China in the second half of 2019, affecting a large number of people, and was found to be dangerous in an early stage. However, transportation continued in a normal manner from infected areas around the world, which made matters worse.
The number of infections and deaths increased in Italy, Iran and Spain. The World Health Organization was forced to declare the epidemic a global pandemic on March 11, 2020. This decision was considered by many health authorities a late decision being issued after a long hesitation and the failure to disclose full information about the epidemic. The absence of adequate information about this virus has led to a delayed diagnosis of this disease and hindered doctors and scientists’ efforts in trying to find the necessary vaccines and medicines.
Although the laws and regulations of the World Health Organization, the United Nations, and other organizations have many regulations that support governance and good management and establish legal responsibility for any failure or slowdown in response, the activation of any of these aspects has yet to happen despite the catastrophic effects of the pandemic on human societies around the world.
It was also found that the resources of international humanitarian support in the face of epidemics, diseases and disasters were very limited, as the United Nations did not provide significant medical assistance to affected and poor countries, vulnerable groups such as migrants and refugees around the world, as well as areas of disaster and warfare, which indicates the decline in the role of the international community institutions in activating the values ​​of international solidarity.
Parallel to that and as a result of the catastrophic effects of the pandemic, countries, including the major ones, were quick to close their borders and distance themselves, leaving the poor countries and societies to face their fate in the face of this global catastrophe. This is a dangerous indicator of the increasing thought of international isolation and the decline in the values ​​of human solidarity. In order not to undervalue people and to depart from the accounts of political exploitation, several countries have provided other countries with medical equipment and assistance to cope with the disaster.
The previously mentioned discussion is part of multiple manifestations of the international health and legal imbalances introduced due to the pandemic. This requires strong and effective interventions to revive the values, rules and provisions of international humanitarian solidarity on solid and sound foundations.