Published 12:57 IST, September 2nd 2020
US 'won’t join' WHO's global cooperative efforts to develop COVID-19 vaccines
Citing, that he wouldn’t want to be under “constrain” by the multilateral group WHO, Trump stood his ground about WHO “heavily influenced by China".
On September 1, US President Donald Trump reiterated that his administration “won’t join” the global cooperative efforts to develop and distribute the COVID-19 vaccine. Citing, that he wouldn’t want to be under “constrain” by the multilateral group World Health Organization (WHO), Trump stood his ground about WHO “heavily influenced by China” and needed reforms. The White House, earlier in July, had withdrawn from the WHO, a decision assailed by the medical fraternity and key global players involved in coronavirus vaccine research. Trump administration had dispatched a notice to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, saying, the decision would go into effect July 6, 2021, according to reports.
Resonating President Trump’s opinion about WHO’s "China-centric" response, spokesman for the White House, Judd Deere said at a press conference, ”The United States will continue to engage our international partners to ensure we defeat this virus, but we will not be constrained by multilateral organizations influenced by the corrupt World Health Organization and China.”
“This president will spare no expense to ensure that any new vaccine maintains our own Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) gold standard for safety and efficacy, is thoroughly tested and saves lives"—White House spokesperson, Judd Deere said, confirming the Trump administration reluctance to join WHO's global vaccine efforts.
Immediately, in response to the White House, democratic party’s Rep. Ami Bera, D-Calif reportedly condemned the Trump administration decision calling it “shortsighted” and a “hurdle” in the battle to eliminate the pandemic. “Joining COVAX is a simple measure to guarantee U.S. access to a vaccine — no matter who develops it first,” a medical facility, Brain Stem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA) treating COVID-19 patients tweeted, criticizing US President's decision.
“This go-it-alone approach leaves America at risk of not getting a vaccine"—Brain Stem Evoked Response Audiometry (BERA).
North America director Tom Hart from an international, nonpartisan movement, The ONE Campaign called the Trump administration's decision of abandoning the vaccine efforts and earlier WHO as “abdicating America’s global leadership” in a cooperative global fight against the pandemic, as per AP report. "Not only does this move put the lives of millions around the world at risk, but it could also completely isolate Americans from an effective vaccine against COVID-19,” Hart said.
America is taking a huge gamble by taking a go-it-alone strategy, Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown University reportedly said.
The behavior of countries when it comes to vaccines in this pandemic will have political repercussions beyond public health—Co-director of the Global Health Center at the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Suerie Moon said in US media reports.
WHO’s COVAX involves 172 countries
Earlier this month, the World Health Organization said that at least 172 countries are engaging with the WHO’s COVAX plan that aimed at providing equitable access to the COVID-19 vaccine to countries without discrimination. In a live-streamed press conference, WHO said that nations now needed unanimous commitment towards the cooperation for crucial new funding needed for the COVID-19 vaccine. "Initially, when there will be limited supply (of COVID-19 vaccines), it's important to provide the vaccine to those at highest risk around the globe," the WHO's director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, urging for the international community’s support. Trump had earlier issued a formal notification of withdrawal post several months of threats of alleged "China bias" launched at WHO. Shortly, the US cut funding and pulled out of the WHO, which is affiliated with the United Nations and has been carrying out the global response into the coronavirus pandemic.
(With AP Inputs)
Updated 12:57 IST, September 2nd 2020