The World Health Organization hopes to work “side by side” with the United States to contain an outbreak of Ebola in Congo, its chief said on Wednesday, even though President Donald Trump has said he is ending the U.S. relationship with the WHO over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told a virtual briefing that he had met U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar last week.
The meeting appeared to be the first sign of high-level cooperation between Tedros and the Trump administration since Trump said he was terminating the U.S. relationship with the WHO.
“We had a very good discussion with the secretary as of last week and he assured me of U.S. continued commitment to support in the fight especially against Ebola,” Tedros said.
He said this did not mean the WHO was receiving money directly from Washington, which until now has been its top donor.
“It’s not about the money. The relationship (with the United States) is more important,” he said.
The WHO has praised the United States’ “immense” and “generous” contribution to global health in an attempt to salvage the relationship.
