WHO regrets Trump decision to halt funding over coronavirus response
US has been 'a longstanding and generous friend to WHO,' leader says
Get all the latest news on coronavirus and more delivered daily to your inbox. Sign up here.
LONDON — The head of the World Health Organization says it regrets the U.S. decision to halt funding.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus says the U.S. has been "a longstanding and generous friend to WHO and we hope it will continue to be so."
He made the comments after President Donald Trump announced a halt to U.S. funding, temporarily suspending millions of dollars from the U.N health agency's biggest funder.
HOW LONG CHINA WAITED BEFORE WARNING PUBLIC OF CORONAVIRUS
Tedros says WHO remained committed to slowing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and it would work with its partners to ensure that any funding shortfall could be met.
FILE - Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP, File)
"COVID-19 does not discriminate between rich nations and poor, large nations and small," Tedros said. "This is a time for all of us to be united in our common struggle against a common threat, a dangerous enemy. When we're divided, the virus exploits the cracks between us."
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS
Tedros says WHO's member countries and independent organizations will assess the U.N. health agency’s performance at a later day. But the focus must remain on ending the outbreak.