South Africa has said that it is "alarmed" by President Donald Trump's "regrettable" decision to cut the WHO funding at such a crucial time when the global health body deserves increased support from the member states to bolster its efforts to stop the coronavirus pandemic.
On Wednesday, President Trump said that the US will halt funding to the World Health Organisation after he accused it of severely mismanaging" the coronavirus pandemic that surfaced in China.
The president said hundreds of millions of dollars in US funding would be suspended while a review was conducted to assess WHO's role in severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus".
South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation in a statement said that the Government of the Republic of South Africa is very concerned and alarmed at the announcement by the President of the United States of America to cut funding to the WHO with immediate effect."
"South Africa is particularly alarmed that the decision is made amid a global health crisis that requires a full capacity WHO to provide support in combating the deadly COVID 19 pandemic."
"It is alarming that this very regrettable decision is announced as this deadly virus strikes Africa and the poorest and most vulnerable states."