Lavrov: Attacks on WHO aim to justify inadequate COVID-19 response

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov attends a press conference in Helsinki, Finland, March 3, 2020. /AP

Some countries are trying to justify their inadequate COVID-19 response measures by attacking the World Health Organization (WHO), Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview, RIA Novosti news agency reported on Saturday.

"I don't want the desire to unite to get politicized. I see signs of politicization in attacks on the WHO," Lavrov said.

"In my opinion, the attacks are a manifestation of the desire to excuse certain actions that were too late, too insufficient," he added.

The WHO is not perfect, but it fulfills its role, acting as a leading and coordinating body in the sphere of health care, the foreign minister said. "Yes, it's not perfect. Nobody's perfect, a quote from the Hollywood film 'Some Like It Hot' says," he noted.

"The activity of the WHO is determined by its member states," Lavrov added. "They have not had any complaints about it until recently."

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Nurses receive training on using ventilators provided by the World Health Organization at the intensive care ward of a hospital allocated for coronavirus patients in Sanaa, Yemen, April 8, 2020. /Reuters

The Russian foreign minister's remarks came amid attacks by the United States and some other countries on the WHO over its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, with President Donald Trump suspending U.S. funding to the world health body. The decision sparked criticism across the world, as many politicians and leaders of international organizations called for solidarity in the global fight against COVID-19.

In a phone conversation with WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus last week, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said supporting the WHO and its chief safeguards the philosophy and principle of multilateralism.

On the other hand, an investigative report by the Washington Post said earlier this month that Trump's denial and delayed response in the critical first 70 days of the outbreak had caused the U.S. to suffer through a situation that could have been mitigated with decisive action.

The U.S. had a total of 936,293 confirmed coronavirus cases and 53,511 deaths as of Saturday night, according to Johns Hopkins University.

(With input from Xinhua)