The problem of free rider and the World Health Organization's role in combating the COVID-19 pandemic

Global public goods are goods in which there is no competition in consumption and individuals cannot be deprived of their consumption of these goods and services. It has transnationality in terms of spread of benefits and harms. Since issues such as health, peace, security, etc. have transnational effects, they are considered in the category of global public goods. The fact that exclusion is not possible in the consumption of global public goods causes the problem of free ridership. The problem of free-riding is that individuals are motivated to benefit from the consumption of public goods without paying a price. Today, all countries of the world are struggling with the Covid-19 epidemic. Since the effects of Covid-19 concern the whole world, it is considered a global public good. The aim of the study is to examine the reflection and effect of the free-riding problem observed on individuals at the level of countries in the fight against the epidemic. The study area of the subject was determined on the basis of the relations between the World Health Organization and its member countries. The main hypothesis of the study is, "WHO member countries stay away from financial support to WHO in combating the epidemic." format has been determined. The validity of our hypothesis has been tested by using numerical data published by WHO and other international institutions. In the first part, the concept of public goods and its types will be examined. In the light of the concept of public goods, the concept of global public goods will be introduced and information will be given about the production technologies of global public goods. In the second part, information about the globality of health services and the points at which the free-riding problem in health services arise will be examined. In the third part, the work of the World Health Organization and countries in the fight against the pandemic will be discussed. Within the scope of the struggle, the problem of Akçal Equalization will be explained and the conflicts experienced during the sharing of duties and powers will be examined. After all these explanations, countries that exhibit a free-riding attitude during the pandemic process will be revealed.