WHO COVID-19 envoy says leave recriminations for when virus is defeated

DUBAI: The World Health Organization's (WHO) special envoy for the COVID-19 on Wednesday urged any recriminations about the organisation to be left until after the virus has been defeated.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday halted funding to the organisation over its handling of the new coronavirus pandemic.

"We say to everybody, we plead with everybody, look forward. Focus on the epic struggle right now and leave the recriminations till later," said special advisor David Nabarro in a webinar.

"If in the process you decide you want to declare that you're going to withdraw funding or make other comments about the WHO, remember this is not just the WHO, this is the whole public health community that is involved right now and every single person in the world is a public health worker now, everybody is taking responsibility, everybody is sacrificing, everybody is involved.