An Australian academic's labelling the World Health Organisation a "Toothless Tiger".

An editorial in the Australian Medical Journal titled 'Toughen-up WHO' criticises the organisation's softer approach when countries don't follow it's regulations.

Associate Professor Sanjaya Senanayake said WHO needs to work around the complexities of new funding models that may dictate how their work is carried out during a viral outbreak.

He said they've reacted fast in the wake of Zika but need to keep up with a growing number of Non Government Organisations that weren't around during it's founding.

He said the organisation needs to learn to work with NGOs to improve not only the response in different areas but also the follow-through of regulations. Non-medical personnel, for example, would be extremely helpful to carry out preventative and decontamination tasks.

But Senanayake said it’s not all about WHO sharpening it’s teeth; countries can also do more to keep the momentum going.

"They can improve their relationships with the regional offices, they can have more non-medical staff, because during an outbreak there are so many aspects of a country and region's infrastructure that needs to be addressed."

Senanayake said there’s room for punitive measures such as sanctions on countries to make them comply to WHO instructions.

"I think there’s a danger that if the World Health Organisation is being ignored during an outbreak that people will notice that and be less inclined to take them seriously."

Meanwhile Russia has registered its first case of a person infected with the Zika virus after a tourist contracted the disease in the Dominican Republic.

The World Health Organisation declared the spread of the disease a global health emergency earlier this month.