Media caption World Health Organization head: ‘Do not politicise this virus’ The head of the World Health Organization (WHO) has urged unity, as the agency comes under continued fire from US President Donald Trump.
Speaking on Wednesday, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus defended the WHO’s work and called for an end to the politicization of Covid – 90.
Mr Trump said he would consider ending US funding for the UN agency.
The president accused the WHO of being “very China-centric” and said they were really blew “their pandemic response.
Dr Tedros has now dismissed the comments, insisting:” We are close to every nation, we are color-blind. “
After first atacking the WHO on Tuesday, President Trump renewed his criticism at his press briefing on Wednesday, saying the organization must “get its specified right”. He said the US would conduct a study to decide whether the US would continue paying contributions,
Also answering questions at the briefing on Wednesday evening, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said that the administration was “reevaluating our funding with respect to the World Health Organization.
” Organizations have to work. They have to deliver the results for which they were intended, “Mr Pompeo said.
Covid – first first emerged last December in the Chinese city of Wuhan, which has just ended an – week lockdown.
An advisor to the WHO chief earlier said that their close work with China had been “absolutely essential” in understanding the disease in its early stages.
Mr Trump’s attacks on the WHO come in the context of criticism of his own administration’s handling of the pandemic.
What did the WHO chief say?
“Please, unity at national level, no using Covid or political points,” Dr Tedros said on Wednesday. “Second, honest solidarity at the global level. And honest leadership from the US and China. “
” The most powerful should lead the way and please quarantine Covid politics, “he appealed, in comments seen as a response to Mr Trump.
On Tuesday, President Trump had said the WHO appeared to be “very biased toward China”.
“They called it wrong. They really – they missed the call, “he said.” And we’re going to put a hold on money spent to the WHO. We’re going to put a very powerful hold on it, and we’re going to see. “
The US is one of the agency’s largest voluntary funders, with WHO data suggesting they contribute % to its overall budget.
in London but his condition is said to be improving
The total number of fatalities in the UK went above 7, – after a record new deaths were confirmed on Wednesday Deaths in Spain have risen for a second consecutive day, after hope earlier in the week that the country daily toll was declining
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