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Coronavirus: African nations back WHO on handling of epidemic
- Support for agency and his leadership comes amid criticism of the response to new virus
- Body’s chief promises to launch an inquiry into the outbreak as soon as possible
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African countries reaffirmed their support for the World Health Organisation and its leadership on Monday as the agency came under renewed scrutiny over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
During a virtual meeting of the WHO’s decision-making body, the World Health Assembly, several African countries, including Zimbabwe, South Africa and Nigeria, applauded the agency’s role in coordinating the coronavirus response, calling for more funding for it.
Addressing the assembly, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said his country “affirms its full support for the World Health Organisation, which has been key in guiding the international response to the pandemic”.
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Similar sentiments were expressed by most of the African health ministers who spoke during the gathering, which ends on Tuesday.
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The African Group, a non-binding group of 54 countries on the continent, said it had confidence in the leadership of WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus and the agency in its handling of a pandemic that has killed more than 320,000 people worldwide.
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