The U.S. decision to suspend funding to the World Health Organization will have a negative impact on the organization’s programmes to combat polio in the African region, said Mathidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.
“The impact of this decision will be significant, especially on polio eradication programmes”, – she said at an online briefing Thursday.
Moeti noted that the WHO budget allocates about $300 million for programmes in 47 countries in the African region. Most of that money is earmarked for polio eradication programmes funded by the United States. Therefore, the decision of Washington may have a negative impact on the work of these programmes.
According to her, the WHO expects the US to reconsider its decision.
On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington is terminating funding for the WHO, which, he said, did not provide information about the coronavirus in a timely manner and did not bring the truth to the attention of the world community.