WHO regrets President Trump de-funding decision

Addis Ababa, April 16, 2020 (FBC) – The World Health Organization (WHO) says it regrets the decision by the U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw funding from the body amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In a briefing on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom said the organization was reviewing the impact of the funds withdrawal and would seek other avenues of filling the gap left.

“The United States has been a longstanding and generous friend to WHO, and we hope it will continue to be so. We regret the decision of the U.S. President to order a halt in funding to WHO,” said DR Tedros.

“This is a time for all of us to be united in our common struggle against a common threat. When we are divided, the coronavirus exploits the cracks between us,” the WHO chief added.

President Trump announced the decision to halt funding the WHO on Tuesday, saying the agency had “failed” the U.S. people.

Trump’s decision has also been condemned by the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who called for unity in the fight against COVID-19.

Guterres said this “is not the time to reduce the resources for the operations of the World Health Organization or any other humanitarian organization in the fight against the virus.”

“The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most dangerous challenges this world has faced in our lifetime. It is above all a human crisis with severe health and socio-economic consequences,” he added.

In his briefing on Wednesday, Dr Tedros said the WHO in its mission does not discriminate against any nations or ideologies.

He also took the opportunity to remind the world that the WHO does not only work to beat COVID-19, but many other diseases as well.

“WHO is not only fighting COVID-19. We’re also working to address polio, measles, malaria, Ebola, HIV, tuberculosis, malnutrition, cancer, diabetes, mental health and many other diseases and conditions,” Dr Tedros said.

Source: CGTN