By our reporter| President Donald Trump said Friday he was breaking off US ties with the World Health Organization, which he says failed to do enough to combat the initial spread of the novel coronavirus.
“China has total control over the World Health Organisation despite only paying $40 million per year compared to what the United States has been paying, which is approximately $450 million a year,” he was quoted as saying at a press conference.
“The world needs answers from China on the virus. We must have transparency. Why is it that China shut off infected people from Wuhan to all other parts of China?
Trump had earlier suspended funding to the UN agency, accusing it of being a “puppet” of China as the global health crisis erupted.
“Because they have failed to make the requested and greatly needed reforms, we will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organization,” Trump told reporters.
“It didn’t go to Beijing, it went nowhere else, but they allowed them to freely travel throughout the world, including Europe and the United States.”
He also said WHO failed to make the “greatly needed reform” US had requested, adding that the country “will be today terminating our relationship with the World Health Organisation and redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs.”
With agency report
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