WHO responds after Trump's fierce 'China-centric' allegation & 'they blew it' attack

World Health Organization on Wednesday pleed for global unity in fighting coronavirus, following US President Donald Trump's stinging attack on its handling of pandemic. As WHO prepares to mark 100 days on Thursday since it was first tified of outbreak in China, director-general Tedros ham Ghebreyesus hit back at accusations that it h been too close to Beijing.

UN's health ncy has faced criticism in past both for overreacting and for moving too slowly in fighting epidemics, but it has rarely faced as much scrutiny as with COVID-19 pandemic. Trump piled in on Tuesday, accusing WHO having "called it wrong" and months too late while taking US money but favouring China. new coronavirus, which first appeared in China in December, has gone on to kill more than 80,000 people, while more than 1.4 million people have tested positive.

" WHO really blew it. For some reason, funded largely by United States, yet very China-centric. We will be giving that a good look," Trump said on Twitter. "Fortunately I rejected ir vice on keeping our borders open to China early on. Why did y give us such a faulty recommendation?" 

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Tedros urged United States to join with China in combating disease rar than indulging in a blame game, as he issued a stern defence of WHO's manment of pandemic. " United States and China should come toger and fight this dangerous enemy," Tedros told a virtual press briefing in Geneva. " focus of all political parties should be to save ir people. Please don't politicise this virus.

"If you don't want many more body bags, n you refrain from politicising it," WHO chief argued, before ding later: "It's like playing with fire." Citing death toll and number of infections, Tedros implored: "For God's sake... is this t eugh?"  WHO was deemed too alarmist when it faced H1N1 epidemic in 2009 but five years later it was accused of dragging its feet in declaring an emergency over Ebola outbreak in west Africa, which killed more than 11,000 people.

w ncy has been accused of delaying sounding alarm over COVID-19 for fear of offending Beijing, for waiting too long to declare outbreak a global pandemic and for failing to coordinate a coherent international response.Tedros has been giving thrice-weekly virtual press conferences in a bid to be open about how organisation is dealing with pandemic.

On Wednesday, in a highly unusual turn, Ethiopia's former health and foreign minister spoke out for first time about personal attacks aimed at him, including racial slurs and a death threat, during crisis. "I don't give a damn," Tedros said. "I am a very proud black person or negro. I don't care about being called even negro; I am.

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"When whole black community was insulted, when Africa was insulted, n I don't tolerate," he said, referring to suggestions last week from two scientists about continent's suitability as a vaccine testing ground. Late Wednesday he retweeted personal support he has received from African Union and presidents of South Africa, Nigeria, and Rwanda.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres lent his support too, saying it was t time to criticise early response to outbreak. "w is time for unity, for international community to work toger in solidarity to stop this virus and its shattering consequences," he said in a statement. Tedros can call also on some top-level celebrity backing, such as US superstar Ly Gaga.

He has teamed up with singer to launch a giant online coronavirus awareness concert on April 18 entitled "One World:  Toger at Home", featuring music icons like Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder. Tedros said re would be worse to come from COVID-19 if world did t unite to stand up to its spre. "Let's fight like hell to suppress and control this virus," he said. "Orwise, with way we are doing w, I think we will regret it." 

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