U.N. Envoy: W.H.O. Failure on Coronavirus Cost 'Thousands of Lives'

American Ambassador to the U.N. Kelly Craft said on Thursday that the World Health Organization’s (W.H.O.) failure to assess the threat posed by the coronavirus and to hold the Chinese communist government accountable for providing accurate data could have cost “thousands of lives.”

“Had it been accurate, had they managed the information they received early on, it would have obviously slowed the virus and it would have saved thousands of lives,” Craft said. “And I think that’s where we have a real issue with this.”

Craft expressed support for suspending U.S. funding to W.H.O. to investigate how the United Nation’s agency handled the outbreak, which grew into a global pandemic that has led to more than 146,000 deaths.

Craft made the remarks in an interview with National Public Radio (NPR), which published an edited report on its website that said the ambassador was “seizing on President Trump’s criticism of the World Health Organization for its response to the COVID-19 crisis.”

In the interview, Craft called on “complete transparency and accountability” from W.H.O., which until now has received about $500 million a year from the United States — by far more than the estimated $40 million donated by China.

In the interview, Craft said W.H.O. failed in its mission to protect public health.

“It’s about the American lives and it’s about the lives of those in the world,” Craft said.

NPR host Steve Inskeep pressed Craft about Trump’s critics — including taxpayer-funded public radio — who claim the president was slow to react to the coronavirus. But Craft said it is W.H.O. that could have provided the information necessary to allow nations to address the threat.

NPR claimed that Craft “defended” Trump, who it said is “trying to sidestep blame for his early response to the crisis.”

Craft, however, stayed focused on accountability from W.H.O. and the role China played in the pandemic.

“The W.H.O. not only serves the American people, but serves the world,” Craft said. “And I’m telling you that if they do not turn this around, it is unforgivable.”

“You would think it would be to China’s best interests, because obviously they want to mitigate the crisis from within,” Craft said. “But then they’ve had a track record of not being open and honest in order to cover up for the origin.”

As Breitbart News reported, “W.H.O. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday that his controversial performance would be reviewed ‘in due course,’” without giving a specific time when that review would take place.

Follow Penny Starr on Twitter.