James Taranto-

A spat has broken out between the U.N.'s World Health Organization and Amnesty International, a left-leaning human-rights group, over Pyongyang's patient care, the Associated Press reports:

Amnesty's report on Thursday described North Korea's health care system in shambles, with doctors sometimes performing amputations without anesthesia and working by candlelight in hospitals lacking essential medicine, heat and power. It also raised questions about whether coverage is universal as it--and WHO--claimed, noting most interviewees said they or a family member had given doctors cigarettes, alcohol or money to receive medical care. And those without any of these reported that they could get no health assistance at all.

WHO's Paul Garwood claims that Amnesty's report is "not up to the U.N. agency's scientific approach to evaluating health care":

The issue is sensitive for WHO because its director-general, Margaret Chan, praised the communist country after a visit in April and described its health care as the "envy" of most developing nations. . . . Garwood and WHO spokeswoman Fadela Chaib insisted that Amnesty's report was complementary to their boss' observations. . . . Asked Friday what countries were envious of North Korea's health, Chaib said she couldn't name any.