WHO chief regrets U.S. funding cut

• The head of the World Health Organization said he regretted U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to pull funding for the agency and called for global unity to fight the new coronavirus pandemic.

Trump’s move to halt funding to the WHO over its handling of the infection prompted condemnation Wednesday from world leaders as recorded global infections passed 2 million.

“The United States of America has been a long-standing and generous friend of the WHO and we hope it will continue to be so,” WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said. “We regret the decision of the president of the United States to order a halt in the funding to the WHO.”

He said the agency would assess its performance in the crisis as it does after every such occurrence.

“In due course WHO’s performance in tackling this pandemic will be reviewed by WHO’s member states and the independent bodies that are in place to ensure transparency and accountability,” he said.

The WHO also helps many of the world’s poorest and vulnerable people who are struggling with diseases and other conditions, Tedros said. Its programs include polio, measles, malaria, Ebola, HIV, tuberculosis, malnutrition, cancer, diabetes, and mental health.

The U.S. is the largest donor to the WHO, providing more than $563 million in 2019, roughly 15 per cent of its budget.

It’s unclear when any halt in U.S. payments would take effect or how much authority Trump has to suspend disbursements, which are authorized by Congress. Administration officials signalled the suspension would be for 60 days.

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates criticized Trump’s decision.

“Halting funding for the World Health Organization during a world health crisis is as dangerous as it sounds,” Gates tweeted. “Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them.”

The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the family’s philanthropic initiative, is the next biggest donor to WHO, accounting for close to 10 per cent of the United Nations agency’s funding.

Tedros said: “WHO is reviewing the impact on our work of any withdrawal of U.S. funding and we will work with partners to fill any financial gaps we face and to ensure our work continues uninterrupted.”

Dr. Mike Ryan, WHO’s top emergencies expert, said there would be opportunities to discuss WHO’s budget with its other 193 states.

“We are laser-focused on doing a very important job and that is suppressing this virus and saving lives,” Ryan said. “This is all hands on deck... Everybody has something to bring to the table.”