Donald Trump, the President of the United States, announced on Tuesday April 14 the suspension of the American financial contribution to the World Health Organization (WHO). The health agency is deprived of its first contributor when it has to face a global crisis.
Following “errors” in the management of the coronavirus, Donald Trump made the decision to suspend the American financial contribution to the World Health Organization (WHO). This Tuesday, April 14, he justified this decision by the “many misinformation about transmission and mortality”to which must be added too great a political proximity with China which would have “always right” according to the agency, he lamented at a press conference. Donald Trump has announced the establishment of a study “very thorough” on the role of the WHO”in the mismanagement and concealment of the spread of the coronavirus” which could last between 60 and 90 days.
President @realDonaldTrump is halting funding of the World Health Organization while a review is conducted to assess WHO’s role in mismanaging the Coronavirus outbreak. pic.twitter.com/jTrEf4WWj0
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 14, 2020
The WHO really blew it. For some reason, funded largely by the United States, yet very China centric. We will be giving that a good look. Fortunately I rejected their advice on keeping our borders open to China early on. Why did they give us such a faulty recommendation?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 7, 2020
US funding, between 12 and 13% of the WHO budget
With the suspension of American funding, its main contributor, the WHO is entering troubled times as the coronavirus pandemic continues to weaken the world. The United States provided financial support between 400 and 500 million dollars per year to the organization, or between 12 and 13% of its annual budget. China, meanwhile, is contributing around $40 million, leading Donald Trump to estimate that his country has the “Homework“to demand accountability.”If the WHO had done its job and sent medical experts to China to objectively study the situation on the ground, the outbreak could have been contained at its source with very few deaths.”he added.
The WHO, whose mission is to direct and coordinate global health within the United Nations system, is very weakened without the American contribution. Antonio Guterres, the UN secretary general, fears for global health following the US decision. “My belief is that the World Health Organization must be supported as it is absolutely essential to the world’s efforts to win the war against Covid-19.he says in a communicated. A fear shared by Bill Gates, head of the philanthropic foundation Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation which provides major financial support in the fight against Covid-19 and which is the second largest donor to the WHO behind the USA. He believes, in a tweet, that the missions of the WHO “are slowing the progress of Covid-19 and if that work is stopped, no other organization is there to pick up the slack. The world needs WHO more than ever.”
Halting funding for the World Health Organization during a world health crisis is as dangerous as it sounds. Their work is slowing the spread of COVID-19 and if that work is stopped no other organization can replace them. The world needs @WHO now more than ever.
—Bill Gates (@BillGates) April 15, 2020
Not yet time for assessment
Impossible for the moment to predict the exact consequences of this suspension of funding. This could paralyze or even prevent health initiatives. However, the WHO remains one of the most powerful UN agencies, with 147 country offices and six regional offices, for a total of 7,000 employees. For Antonio Guterres, there is a time for everything and that of analysis and assessment has not yet arrived. “Once we finally turn the page on this epidemic, there will be a time to fully rewind to understand how such a disease could have arisen and spread its devastation so rapidly across the world.”he said in the press release.
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