Trump split from WHO ‘disappointing backlash’ for global health: Germany

Germany has lashed out at US President Donald Trump for his decision to sever ties with the World Health Organization (WHO).

German Health Minister Jens Spahn denounced Trump's move as "a disappointing backlash for International Health" and said in a tweet on Saturday that the WHO "needs reform" if it is to "make any difference.”

"The EU must take a leading role and engage more financially," he underlined, adding that the plan would be one of Germany's priorities when it takes over the bloc's rotating presidency on July 1.

Trump announced on Friday that he was cutting US’ relations with the WHO, accusing the Geneva-based organization of failing to do enough to rein in the initial spread of the new coronavirus.

The president first suspended funding to the UN agency last month over accusations of mishandling the global pandemic.

Trump accused the WHO of siding with China and reliance on Chinese data, blaming it for “all sorts of false information about transmission and mortality” that was circulated amid initial reports.

Earlier this month, Trump accused the WHO of being a "puppet" of China and said the funding freeze would become permanent if it failed to make "substantive improvements.”

The United States contributed $400 million to the WHO last year, roughly 15% of its budget.

The White House has been seeking to deflect criticism of its own sluggish response to the COVID-19 crisis by putting too much emphasis on the virus’s likely origins in China, with Trump and other US officials, including Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, referring to the coronavirus as the “Chinese virus.”

There have been more than six million confirmed cases of infection across the world, with the death toll topping 367,000 on Saturday.

MG