US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday that he had instructed his administration to suspend funding to the World Health Organization (WHO) over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
He added that the “hold” on funding would continue while the US reviews the organization’s warnings about the coronavirus and China.
“Had the WHO done its job to get medical experts into China to objectively assess the situation on the ground and to call out China’s lack of transparency, the outbreak could have been contained at its source with very little death,” Trump said.
The move has drawn immediate condemnation from health organizations and a section of the American electorate.
Writing on social media, Dr Nahid Bhadelia, an infectious diseases specialist and the medical director of the Special Pathogens Unit at Boston University, said withdrawing funding would be a disaster.
China urged the United States to fulfill its obligations to the World Health Organization (WHO), after US President Donald Trump halted funding to the body over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
Foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian told reporters during a daily briefing the situation with the pandemic, which has infected nearly 2 million people globally, was at a critical stage and that the US’ decision would affect all countries of the world.
USA is the Health body’s largest contributor. Annually, the government contributes $400 million to $500 million each year.
