After weeks of threatening the World health Organisation (WHO) over its alleged vulnerability to the Chinese government, the Unites States of America President, Mr. Donald Trump has finally severed ties with the WHO. He has confirmed that he will fully withdraw all US funding to the body.
The President has been openly critical of the international body for weeks over what he believes was an inadequate response to the outbreak of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) in the Chinese province of Wuhan last year. The President who spoke during a White House address on Friday, claimed that Chinese officials had “ignored” reporting obligations to WHO and pressured the organisation to mislead the public about COVID-19. The virus has caused the deaths of more than 100,000 people in the US alone. In Nigeria has so far lost over 200 people according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
President Trump said, “We have detailed the reforms that it must make and engaged with them directly, but they have refused to act. Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating the relationship.”
The US is the largest source of financial support for WHO, which is expected to be severely damaged by the withdrawal of funding. Instead, Trump says the money will be redirected towards “other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs.” He noted America contributes about $450 million (£360 million) to the WHO, while China provides about $40 million (£32 million).
The President first proposed withdrawing funding from WHO in April – a move the Democrats deemed illegal without the approval of Congress. Others said that it would severely affect vaccine development efforts led by the organisation. House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi called the announcement “an act of extraordinary senselessness.”
Dr Stephen Griffin, associate professor in the School of Medicine, University of Leeds, said there was “no logic” in severing links during the middle of a global pandemic. He added: “There is no logic to the move by President Trump to sever links with the WHO. Pandemics are, by definition, a global crisis. To not face COVID-19 with a united front seems futile. Given the scale of the outbreak in the US, this action appears nothing short of an attempt to refocus attention away from how this has been handled.”
