PAHO: US funding cut affects work

Pan-American Health Organisation (PAHO) director Dr Carissa F Etienne said the compromise of US funding to the organisation would result in significant contraction of its technical co-operation with member states. She said 60 per cent of PAHOs budget comes from the US.

US President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he would be halting US funding and membership in WHO over its response to China's handling of the coronavirus epidemic. He said the US would be redirecting those funds to other worldwide and deserving urgent global public health needs.

Speaking at a media briefing on Tuesday, Etienne said the US had long been PAHO’s largest financial supporter and an important partner as well.

“PAHO was founded in 1902 by ten countries, including the US under then President Theodore Roosevelt, to serve as the specialised health agency of the Americas. The US has worked side by side with PAHO and its other member states to expand coverage of vaccines, control outbreaks, respond to emergencies, eliminate smallpox and polio from our region, among many other shared accomplishments. I am confident that, together, we will find a way to continue to work with the US as we have for the past 118 years.”

In a media conference on Monday, WHO director general Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, “The world has long benefited from the strong, collaborative engagement with the government and the people of the US. The US government and people’s contribution and generosity towards global health over many decades has been immense, and it has made a great difference in public health all around the world.

"It is WHO’s wish for this collaboration to continue.”

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"PAHO: US funding cut affects work"

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