Washington : In what could not have been a more ill-timed arrogance, US President Donald Trump on Tuesday instructed his administration to suspending funding to the World Health Organisation(WHO). The reaction is based on American displeasure over WHO’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, which “failed in its basic duty and must be held accountable” as Trump put it at a White House news conference on Tuesday.
Trump accused a group within WHO of promoting China’s ‘disinformation’ that likely led to bigger breakout of the virus globally than otherwise would have occurred. WHO played along China in a bid for covering up the spread, Trump said adding that, the suspension of funding will continue while US reviews the organisation’s warning about coronavirus and China. Incidentally Trump had previously accused WHO of being biased to China.
For decades, US has been a committed partner in global health and its contribution to WHO budget in 2019 stood at about 15%. Other top funders are Bill and Melinda gates Foundation, GAVI, UK and Germany.
