UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters in Monday that he is calling on all the donors to fully fund the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to prevent the novel coronavirus outbreak from becoming a "global nightmare."
WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 24th February, 2020) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told reporters in Monday that he is calling on all the donors to fully fund the World Health Organization (WHO) in order to prevent the novel coronavirus outbreak from becoming a "global nightmare."
"If there is something completely stupid doing today... is not to fully fund WHO appeals because WHO appeals are vital to support member states to avoid this tragic disease to become a global nightmare. So my appeal to all donors is to make sure that WHO appeals in relation, of course, to this virus, but also in relation to other commitments... are fully funded," Guterres said.
On Thursday, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus told reporters that a lackluster response to a $675 million appeal for funds needed to fight the novel coronavirus threatens a window of opportunity to prevent the deadly disease from spreading to the rest of the world.
Ghebreyesus did not say how much of the appeal has been met by international donors, but media reports indicates that pledges of about $100 million have been received thus far.
The novel coronavirus was first detected in China in late December and has since spread to some 30 countries, prompting the World Health Organization to declare a global health emergency. More than 77,000 people have so far been infected worldwide.
