UN chief defends WHO after Trump coronavirus jibe

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres underscored the necessity of the World Health Organisation (WHO) during the COVID-19 crisis, in the face of a jibe US President Donald Trump took at the agency.

Trump on Tuesday criticised the WHO's response to COVID-19 and threatened to freeze US funding for it. Trump also accused the agency of favouring China -- whichhas been held responsible for the outbreak of coronavirus.

"The WHO, with thousands of its staff, is on the front lines, supporting member states and their societies, especially the most vulnerable among them, with guidance, training, equipment and concrete life-saving services as they fight the virus," Guterres said in a statement on Wednesday.

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"It is my belief that the WHO must be supported, as it is absolutely critical to the world's efforts to win the war against COVID-19," he said.

Guterres said that once the current health crisis is over, there will be time to study how such a disease emerged and spread its devastation so quickly and to evaluate the performance of all involved.

But now is not that time. Now is the time for unity, for the international community to work together in solidarity to stop this virus and its shattering consequences, he said.

HOW THE UNITED NATIONS IS HELPING

The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific reports in a study that COVID-19 is having far-reaching economic and social consequences for the region, with strong cross-border spillover effects through trade, tourism and financial linkages.

The WHO has also been working with governments across Africa to scale up their capacities in critical response areas such as coordination, surveillance, isolation, case management and contact tracing, infection prevention and control, risk communication and community engagement.

The chief spokesman for the secretary-general, Stephane Dujarric, said the United Nations was supporting the Nigerian government in efforts to curb the spread of the virus.

In Zimbabwe, he said, a severe climate- and recession-induced hunger is deepening the COVID-19 crisis. The World Food Programme said it is urgently calling for US $130 million through August to help millions of the most vulnerable people in the country.

A recent nationwide assessment found that the number of acutely food insecure Zimbabweans has risen to 4.3 million from 3.8 million at the end of last year, the spokesman said. More than half, 7.7 million people, of the country`s population are regarded as food insecure.

In Venezuela, the UN Resident Coordinator and Humanitarian Coordinator for the country, Peter Grohmann, said the first shipment of 90 tons of UN life-saving supplies was scheduled to arrive on Wednesday to support the COVID-19 response.

The supplies have been financed by the international donor community, the UN Central Emergency Response Fund and UN agencies.

(with inputs from agencies)