World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he “regrets” President Trump’s choice to cut funding but said the organization will continue working.
Trump announced on Tuesday that the United States was finalizing plans to cut aid to the WHO until an investigation into its response to the coronavirus can be completed. In a press conference on Wednesday, Tedros said the organization will work to fill funding gaps while the U.S. is not providing aid.
“The United States of America has been a long-standing and generous friend to WHO, and we hope it will continue to be so,” Tedros said. “We regret the decision of the president of the United States to order a halt in funding to the World Health Organization.”
He continued, “With support from the people and government of the United States, WHO works to improve the health of many of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people.”
Tedros said that the organization is fighting many other public health battles beyond the coronavirus, including polio, measles, malaria, Ebola, HIV, tuberculosis, malnutrition, cancer, diabetes, and mental health issues. He said the organization will continue to work without funding from the U.S.
“WHO is reviewing the impact of our work of any withdrawal of U.S. funding and will work with our partners to fill any financial gaps we face and to ensure our work continues uninterrupted. Our commitment to public health … and to serving all the people of the world, without fear or favor, remains absolute,” he said.
“We regret the decision of the president of the United States” to cut funding, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says
He adds the agency is “reviewing” the impact of the withdrawal of US funds to “ensure our work continues uninterpreted”https://t.co/ANHQ9enAv4 pic.twitter.com/uH9Dte7pTi
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) April 15, 2020
Several other world leaders have condemned Trump’s decision, including United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, who said, “[This] 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. Now is the time for unity and for the international community to work together in solidarity to stop this virus and its shattering consequences.”
