WHO director-general says he 'regrets' Trump's decision to cut US funding, and issues a call for unity: 'When we're divided, the virus exploits the cracks between us'

• Yesterday, president Trump said he was suspending US funding to the World Health Organization in retribution for what he views as its pro-China response to COVID-19.
• During a press briefing April 15, the organization's director-general said he regrets Trump's decision, but that the organization will conduct a review to assess its response, find ways to fill the funding gaps, and continue their work as usual.
• He provided no details about exactly how the defunding would affect WHO's activities, but experts have told Insider the consequences could mean many more deaths and a longer pandemic.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

President Trump announced Tuesday that he was suspending US funding to the World Health Organization, blaming the organization for favoring China and not appropriately vetting its government's information early enough in the coronavirus outbreak.

Today, during a media briefing in Geneva, the WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus responded, but shared few details about how exactly the decision would affect its functions.

"The United States of America has been a longstanding and generous friend to WHO, and we hope it will continue to be so," he continued. "We regret the decision of the president of the United States to order a hold in funding to the World Health Organization."

He said that the organization works to improve the health of the world's poorest and most vulnerable, and doesn't just fight COVID-19, but also diseases including malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, malnutrition, cancer, diabetes, and mental illnesses. WHO also works to strengthen countries' health systems and improve access to care.

"WHO is reviewing the impact of our work, of withdrawal of US funding, and we will work with our partners to fill any financial gaps we face and to ensure our work continues uninterrupted," Tedros said, later thanking "the many nations, organizations, and individuals" who have donated to WHO in recent days.

In follow-up questions, he said the organization will share any details about how much the lack of US funding will affect the WHO's work, and how exactly it will be replaced, once that assessment is complete. They will also make available information gleaned from a review of WHO's COVID-19 response, conducted by member states and independent bodies, "to ensure transparency and accountability."

Meantime, Tedros said the organization will continue its mission to serve all the world's people "without fear or favor" and all its member countries, regardless of the size of their populations or economies.

"COVID-19 does not discriminate between rich nations and poor, large nations and small. It does not discriminate between nationalities, ethnicities, or ideologies. Neither do we," 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."

Experts say a lack of US funding will cost lives, lengthen the pandemic

While WHO leaders refused to speculate about what a lack of US funding could mean, experts previously told Insider's John Haltiwanger the consequences could be dire.

"If we throw a punch at WHO, we're just going to end up connecting with our own jaw here, because it will make it harder to stop the outbreak globally and that is bad for our own interests," Jeremy Konyndyk, who oversaw the Obama administration's response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa as director for foreign disaster assistance at USAID, said.

Jack Chow, a US ambassador for global HIV/AIDS during President George W. Bush's administration who also previously served as a WHO assistant director-general, said the withdrawal of funding could even lead to the pandemic lasting months, years, or "even become permanent among human populations."

Bill Gates has also criticized Trump's move, saying "the world needs WHO now more than ever."

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