Saturday, April 18, 2020
Author: Todd Kummer
Four days ago President Donald Trump announced his administration was halting funding for the World Health Organization (WHO). Without full funding, the WHO can’t carry out its life-saving work, putting global health at risk -- and putting each of us at risk. The U.S. is the largest funder of WHO. The United Nations Association (UNA) of Dane County believes halting U.S. funds to WHO is a misguided decision and is launching a campaign to get this decision reversed.
“It is with a heavy heart that the members of the UNA of Dane County saw the news that President Trump has decided to suspend United States support for the World Health Organization at a time when a health pandemic is sweeping throughout the entire world,“ chapter president Mary Rathbun said on Friday. “It is a time when everyone without exception must commit all their energies to protecting and healing people in harms way of Covid-19. It is not a time to reduce funding. Certainly we would not expect that within the United States and we don’t expect it outside our country for our brothers and sisters around the world.”
UNA Dane County is asking that residents from all over south-central Wisconsin contact the President and their elected representatives to show support for the WHO and urge them to support continued funding of this vital agency at a time of immense need.
The WHO was formed on April 7, 1948. April 7 is now celebrated each year as World Health Day. The WHO’s primary role is to direct and coordinate international health within the United Nations system. It has 7,000 people working in 150 country offices and in six regional offices.
The WHO supports and coordinates the efforts of governments around the world. It does this often through partnerships – including bi- and multilaterals, funds and foundations, civil society organizations and the private sector. The organization works to attain health objectives by supporting national health policies and strategies.
Since the onset of the Coronavirus crisis, the WHO has done exactly what it intended to do: mobilized scientists, shared data and information, got essential supplies to where they are needed most, and issued guidance and recommendations for countries to follow. Staff are training millions of health workers in countries least prepared for the deadly disease. If we leave the coronavirus to spread freely in these places, we would be placing millions at high risk, whole regions will be tipped into chaos and the virus will have the opportunity to circle back around the globe.
The United Nations Association (UNA) of Dane County is one of the 200 chapters of the United Nations Association of the United States (UNA-USA) located throughout the country and has been a part of the Dane County non-profit community for some 70 years. We are dedicated to educating, inspiring, and mobilizing people in South-Central Wisconsin to support the principles and vital work of the United Nations.
If you would like more information, please call Todd Kummer on his mobile phone at 608-852-7704 or on his landline at 608-257-1490 or by email at [email protected].
Author: Todd Kummer
Four days ago President Donald Trump announced his administration was halting funding for the World Health Organization (WHO). Without full funding, the WHO can’t carry out its life-saving work, putting global health at risk -- and putting each of us at risk. The U.S. is the largest funder of WHO. The United Nations Association (UNA) of Dane County believes halting U.S. funds to WHO is a misguided decision and is launching a campaign to get this decision reversed.
“It is with a heavy heart that the members of the UNA of Dane County saw the news that President Trump has decided to suspend United States support for the World Health Organization at a time when a health pandemic is sweeping throughout the entire world,“ chapter president Mary Rathbun said on Friday. “It is a time when everyone without exception must commit all their energies to protecting and healing people in harms way of Covid-19. It is not a time to reduce funding. Certainly we would not expect that within the United States and we don’t expect it outside our country for our brothers and sisters around the world.”
UNA Dane County is asking that residents from all over south-central Wisconsin contact the President and their elected representatives to show support for the WHO and urge them to support continued funding of this vital agency at a time of immense need.
The WHO was formed on April 7, 1948. April 7 is now celebrated each year as World Health Day. The WHO’s primary role is to direct and coordinate international health within the United Nations system. It has 7,000 people working in 150 country offices and in six regional offices.
The WHO supports and coordinates the efforts of governments around the world. It does this often through partnerships – including bi- and multilaterals, funds and foundations, civil society organizations and the private sector. The organization works to attain health objectives by supporting national health policies and strategies.
Since the onset of the Coronavirus crisis, the WHO has done exactly what it intended to do: mobilized scientists, shared data and information, got essential supplies to where they are needed most, and issued guidance and recommendations for countries to follow. Staff are training millions of health workers in countries least prepared for the deadly disease. If we leave the coronavirus to spread freely in these places, we would be placing millions at high risk, whole regions will be tipped into chaos and the virus will have the opportunity to circle back around the globe.
The United Nations Association (UNA) of Dane County is one of the 200 chapters of the United Nations Association of the United States (UNA-USA) located throughout the country and has been a part of the Dane County non-profit community for some 70 years. We are dedicated to educating, inspiring, and mobilizing people in South-Central Wisconsin to support the principles and vital work of the United Nations.
If you would like more information, please call Todd Kummer on his mobile phone at 608-852-7704 or on his landline at 608-257-1490 or by email at [email protected].