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We only heard about US cutting ties from media ― WHO Chief

Published

5 years ago

June 1, 2020

The World Health Organisation (WHO) director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on Monday said he heard the announcement that the United States (US) will be cutting ties with the organisation from the media.

The United Nations health body’s chief during his regular speech said the organisation, WHO, is interested in “continued cooperation” with Donald Trump’s led administration.

“The world has long benefited from the strong, collaborative engagement with the government and the people of the US.

“The US government and people’s contribution and generosity towards global health over many decades has been immense, and it has made a great difference in public health all around the world. It is WHO’s wish for this collaboration to continue.”

“The announcement was last Friday as we all heard. And the only communication we have, or announcement, was actually Friday’s media announcement from the US,” Tedros told reporters at the organisation’s thrice-weekly video press conference on the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Anadolu Agency (AA).

Trump had earlier in April suspended the US funding to the WHO based on its dissatisfaction with the health body’s handling of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

He announced on Friday that the nation will be cutting ties with WHO and will instead redirect its monetary contribution to other global public health needs.

Trump continued to insist China has “total control” over the WHO, claiming “Chinese officials ignored their reporting obligations” to the health body during the coronavirus pandemic, and “pressured” it to “mislead the world.”

The United States is the epicentre of the coronavirus in the world with more than 1.8 million confirmed cases of the virus while more than 100,000 people have lost their lives to the disease.