Ther East Asian country China stated on Thursday that it will donate a further $30 million for the WHO, which is asking more than $1 billion for the funding in the battle against the coronavirus or COVID-19 pandemic that has killed over 180,000 people globally.
The pledge is coming a week after the US President Donald Trump stopped the funding for the WHO and accused the organisation of promoting Chinese disinformation about the novel virus, that emerged in the city of Wuhan in Hubei province last year.
COVID-19 crisis
"At this crucial moment, supporting WHO is supporting multilateralism and global solidarity," Hua Chunying, a spokeswoman of China's foreign ministry, said on Twitter. The donation aimed to support the global fight against COVID-19, in particular strengthening health systems in developing countries, she said, adding that China had already donated $20 million to the WHO on March 11.
On Wednesday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he hoped the Trump administration would reconsider its decision. "I hope the US believes that this an important investment, not just to help others, but for the U.S. to stay safe also," Tedros said during a virtual briefing. The United States contributed more than $400 million to the WHO in 2019, or roughly 15 percent of the organisation's budget.
(With agency inputs)
