The Health Secretary criticized the WHO for failing to address the shortcomings during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“This all became apparent during the community pandemic, when under pressure from China, it curtailed reporting at a critical fork,” Kennedy said.
Kennedy criticized the WHO in his video address for not dealing with the shortcomings during the Covid-19 pandemic.
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“World health cooperation remains extremely important to President Trump and me, but as the era of community shows, it’s not working well under the WHO,” he said. “No one agrees with failures during Covid, not to mention important reforms.”
The agreement implements a set of steps that Member States will follow to follow pandemic prevention and response, including prevention programs, the role of vaccine developers, and public awareness campaigns. Critics say the agreement gives too much power to humans, and some provisions amount to civil surveillance.
On May 20th, Kennedy called for “systemic reform” and a “new era of cooperation” at the WHO.
“I urge the world’s health ministers and who to take the withdrawal from the organization as a wake-up call,” Kennedy said.
Reflecting Trump’s remarks, Kennedy said the US has provided a “lion’s share” of WHO funds over the past 25 years, and hopes that the organization will refocus on global health in a “fair, efficient and transparent for all member states.”
budget
Once the US escapes WHO, organizations face budget shortages.
On May 19, Director Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus advocated a $2.1 billion budget for member states, comparing the costs of the organization’s mission to the costs of the war.
“For an organisation working on ground in 150 countries that fulfill the enormous mission and duties that Member States have given us, two years or $2.1 billion per year is not ambitious,” he said. “That’s very reserved.”
Compared to the $6.83 billion budget approved by member states in 2023, between 2024 and 2025, the $4.2 billion between 2026 and 2027 will be 2026-2027.
Ghebreyesus said, “$2.1 billion equals global military spending every eight hours. … The price of one stealth bomber kills people.”
“And $2.1 billion is a quarter of what the tobacco industry spends every year on advertising and promotion,” he said. Again, a product that kills people. It seems someone has switched the price tag to something truly valuable in our world. ”
On May 20, Chinese Deputy Prime Minister Li uzhong said in Geneva that China will give WHO another $500 million over the next five years.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to the report.
