The World Health Organization’s director said its response to the coronavirus outbreak will be reviewed in “due course” amid global criticism and President Trump’s freeze on payments to the United Nations agency.
“In due course, WHO’s performance in tackling this pandemic will be reviewed by WHO’s member states and the independent bodies that are in place, to ensure transparency and accountability. This is part of the usual process put in place by our member states,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters Wednesday.
“No doubt areas of improvement will be identified, and there will be lessons for all of us to learn. But for now my focus is on stopping this virus,” he said.
Tedros and the WHO have been criticized for not ensuring that China reported accurate numbers following the initial case in the city of Wuhan in December, hindering other nations’ response to the pandemic.
Trump said Tuesday he would halt funding to the agency until a review is conducted of whether the WHO mismanaged or covered up the spread of the coronavirus.
“Everybody knows what is going on there. American taxpayers provide between $400 million and $500 million per year to the WHO. China contributes roughly $40 million,” the president said during a briefing in the White House Rose Garden.
A report said Wednesday the Communist Chinese government waited six days before warning its people that the outbreak in Wuhan was likely a pandemic, allowing thousands more to become infected.
President Xi Jinping warned the public on Jan. 20 — nearly a week after Chinese officials had privately determined on Jan. 14 that the virus had evolved into a pandemic.
There are now more than 2 million cases worldwide.