WHO blamed for late actions leading to pandemic

US President Donald Trump has been very vocal about his disappointment in the WHO. He made a statement earlier stating how the WHO should be ashamed of itself for not taking proper steps to contain the virus. WHO has been slammed for being nothing more than a PR agency for China at this point. 

The Trump administration has decided to launch a probe into the WHO and their efforts on coronavirus. Furthermore, they have also suspended US financial assistance to the WHO temporarily. Trump on Thursday told reporters that the World Health Organisation is acting as the public relations agency for China. They should be ashamed of themselves, he continued. 

Trump slammed the WHO authority for not taking tile actions, but rather making excuses for the blunder China did. The US pays close to USD 500 million a year whereas China pays USD 38 million. 

In an interview with Scott Sands, Mike Pompeo (secretary of state), stated that who fell behind on their responsibilities. He said that they misled the word regarding the virus and failed to respond to this case with the urgency that was needed.

“It is their one job, to prevent a pandemic. And they failed.”, said Pompeo. At the beginning of it all, the head of WHO had traveled to China to take stock of things. The organization had declined to declare the virus as a potential pandemic then. Pompeo has shown his disappointment in various interviews since then. Pompeo goes on to say that this isn’t the first time a virus has originated from China and posed such a global threat. And neither it is the first time WHO failed in its mission to prevent and protect. 

Furthermore, many republican lawmakers are demanding a congressional hearing of WHO. They alleged that WHO purposefully conveyed misinformation regarding the virus. They also denied human-to-human transmission which we now see was a grave and deathly mistake! 

There have also been claims that the organization delayed announcing COVID-19 as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. Moreover, it is said that they chastised efforts to restrict travel. They also continued to praise China as a global leader in public health despite spiraling evidence against them. 

Congressman Glenn Grothman said that the WHO has been “infected” by anti-Western bureaucrats like many international organizations. He is a notable Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on National Security. He continues to say that the WHO should have stood up to the Chinese wet market sooner at some point in the last 10 years. According to him, many lives could have been saved if steps were taken sooner. 

Congressman Chip Roy said that WHO deserves a thorough investigation. The allegation against them regarding the mishandling of information on COVID-19 is rather serious. Furthermore, they also accepted and promoted communist Chinese propaganda. Chip Roy is a Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

Australia has also been pushing to hold a probe into Wuhan, the epicenter of the pandemic. Though, China is vehemently against it.