The World Health Organization says it is working with its partners to fill the financial gap left from the Trump administration's decision to withhold $400 million, so that efforts to stop the coronavirus pandemic can continue without interruption.
U.S. President Donald Trump's move to stop funding the WHO comes just as the U.N. health agency says more than 2 million people globally are infected with the deadly coronavirus.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says he regrets Washington's decision, noting the U.S. has been a long-standing and generous friend to the WHO and hopes it will continue to be so.
He says with support from the United States, the WHO works to improve the health of many of the world's poorest and most vulnerable people.
"WHO is not only fighting COVID-19, we are also working to address polio, measles, malaria, Ebola, HIV, tuberculosis, malnutrition, cancer, diabetes, mental health and many other diseases and conditions," he said.
Just as the organization does not discriminate among people regardless of race, religion or political belief, Tedros says COVID-19 does not discriminate between rich and poor nations, nationalities, ethnicities or ideologies.
"This is a time for all of us to be united in our common struggle against a common threat, a dangerous enemy," he said. "When we are divided, the virus exploits the cracks between us. We are committed to serving the world's people and to accountability for the resources with which we are entrusted."
Trump has accused the organization of severely mismanaging its coronavirus response, of making deadly mistakes and of being too trusting of China. The White House says funding will be halted while WHO's alleged cover-ups and failures are investigated, a process that could take two to three months.
Tedros says WHO's performance in tackling the pandemic will be reviewed in due course by member states and independent bodies to ensure transparency and accountability. He says areas for improvement no doubt will be identified, but for now the focus must be on stopping the virus and saving lives.
