China must increase its own WHO contribution instead of complaining about US funding freeze
Multiple countries across the world, on Tuesday, April 14, denounced President Donald Trump's decision to suspend sizable funding the United States sends to the World Health Organisation (WHO). China, Russia, France, and Germany raised alarm over Trump's decision, and the UK pointed out that it was “essential” for countries to work together to deal with the coronavirus outbreak.
Trump stated on Tuesday that he was withholding nearly $500 million to the WHO pending an investigation into its handling of the coronavirus pandemic as he alleged that the world agency had played a role in "severely mismanaging the spread of coronavirus."
Considering the widespread outrage, one would assume that other developed countries also make significant contributions to the WHO's budget, however, a look at the United Nations agency's 2018-2019 funding paints a completely different picture. The United States, last year, continued to stand as the single largest contributor to the WHO, paying nearly $893 million between 2018 and 2019, making up for around 15 percent of the agency's total budget.
While China, which raised "serious concerns" over the USA's decision, contributed nearly 0.21 percent, its funding was even smaller than developing countries like Nigeria, which paid 0.65 percent, and India (O.49 percent) and Pakistan (0.36 percent.)
It was also alarming to note that several developed countries like France, Switzerland, Canada, Norway, Italy, Spain, and Australia contributed nearly one or less than one percent to the WHO budget. Even France contributed less than Nigeria in the 2018-2019 budget at 0.5 percent. The top contributors to the WHO 2018-2019 were the United States with 14.67 percent, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation at 9.76 percent, Gavi Alliance at 8.3 percent, the UK 7.79 at percent, and Germany at 5.68 percent.
Although America's suspension of WHO contribution is inopportune and condemnable, it does not bode well for other developed nations to sit back and cast aspersions at a time when the health agency requires more funding to combat the deadly virus. The novel coronavirus, which originated in Wuhan, China, has claimed over 2 million lives across the world and over a million deaths.
The developed governments, including the members of the European Union, need to step up with an increased consolidated funding effort at a time when the UN health agency can no longer rely on the US as its sole major contributor.
Trump, earlier on Tuesday, had accused the WHO of being "China-centric" and had issued a veiled threat of suspension of findings. “The WHO really blew it. For some reason, funded largely by the United States, yet very China-centric. We will be giving that a good look," Trump wrote on Twitter "Fortunately, I rejected their advice on keeping our borders open to China early on. Why did they give us such a faulty recommendation?”
WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, however, denied the accusation of being favorable to China and thanked the United States for its generous funding, however, he added that the two countries should begin work together to combat COVID-19. “Now, the US and China should come together and fight this dangerous enemy,” Tedros said. “[There is] no need to use Covid to score political points. We don’t do politics at WHO,” he said. “We care for the poor. We care for those who are vulnerable."