‘There is no secret in WHO’: Tedros hits back at Donald Trump and insists ‘nothing is hidden from US’ over accusations organisation colluded with China to downplay coronavirus
- Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus insisted today ‘there is no secret in WHO’
- Added presence of embedded US secondees in Geneva meant ‘nothing hidden’
- Agency said it was warning ‘from day one’ that ‘Covid-19 is devil we should fight’
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
The World Health Organisation chief has insisted ‘nothing is hidden from the US’ on Covid-19 as he claimed the agency has been warning about the virus ‘from day one.’
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who leads the organisation, said today ‘there is no secret in WHO’ as he confirmed no information about the pandemic was withheld from the US.
He said the presence of embedded US government secondees working at the headquarters in Geneva ‘means there is nothing hidden from the US, from day one’.
The United Nations agency added it had been warning about the dangers of coronavirus, which has killed more than 164,000 people globally, ‘from day one.’
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (pictured) said today ‘there is no secret in WHO’ as he confirmed no information about the pandemic was withheld from the US
‘We have been warning from day one that this is a devil that everyone should fight,’ Mr Ghebreyesus told a virtual briefing in Geneva today.
It comes after Washington accused WHO of initially downplaying the pandemic, which has infected some 749,666 people in the US with 35,012 deaths confirmed.
Last week, Donald Trump launched an extraordinary attack on the agency, putting $500million in funding on hold while an investigation is conducted into its handling of the pandemic.
Mr Trump singled out what he called the WHO’s ‘dangerous and costly decision’ to argue against international travel bans to combat the pandemic.
The US move has sparked a backlash from Beijing, as well as health experts who insist it is not the right time to be stopping the cashflow.
He said the presence of embedded US government secondees working at the headquarters in Geneva ‘means there is nothing hidden from the US, from day one’
Last week, Donald Trump launched an extraordinary attack on the agency, putting $500million in funding on hold while an investigation is conducted into its handling of the pandemic
Other major donors including the EU, UK and Australia have made clear they will continue with funding.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said last Wednesday that the UK’s contribution – usually around £200million a year – would not be withheld.
‘Our position is that the UK has no plans to stop funding the WHO, which has an important role to play in leading the global health response,’ the spokesman said.
‘Coronavirus is a global challenge and it’s essential that countries work together to tackle this shared threat.’
Asked if the Government was disappointed by Donald Trump’s move, the spokesman said: ‘I can only set out the UK’s position and that is we have no plans to stop funding the WHO.’