National Academies ' Presidents Criticize Halt in US Funding for WHO

Marcia McNutt, President of the National Academy of Sciences, John L. Anderson, President of the National Academy of Engineering, and Victor J. Dzau, President of the National Academy of Medicine, have issued a statement urging continued funding for the World Health Organization (WHO) during the coronavirus pandemic. The presidents note: “Continued funding to the WHO is critical to ensure global access to primary care and essential medicines; train the health workforce; improve monitoring and prepare for future public health emergencies; prevent noncommunicable diseases; and promote mental health, among countless other important services. Any threat to WHO’s funding could cut off a lifeline for low- and middle-income countries and place hundreds of millions of people at risk.” The statement referenced a 2017 report by the Academies, entitled, “Global Health and the Future Role of the United States,” which concluded “the U.S. government should maintain its leadership position in global health as a matter of urgent national interest and as a global public benefit that enhances America’s international standing.”      
Source: Public Policy Reports - Category: Biology Authors: Source Type: news