The decision of US President Donald Trump to stop funding the World Health Organisation (WHO) is not the right step in the “Make America Great Again” endeavour. In a time when the world is still grappling with finding a way forward against the coronavirus pandemic, the president of the biggest donor of the global organisation is unfortunately undermining all the efforts of the WHO.

Even more disappointing are the allegations of Mr Trump who accuses the global health body – that is on the frontline of this crisis – of “severely mismanaging and covering up” the spread of the pandemic. One thing is clear, that ceasing the donations to the WHO is a step that will have far-reaching consequences in the long run, both in the US and beyond. The lack of funding will weaken the capabilities of the WHO in the fight against the COVID-19. Mr Trump perhaps forgets that his decision goes against the consensus that only a collective response can defeat the pandemic.

Sadly, the Trump administration is using the global health body as a scapegoat in its fight against China. The statements of various US officials attest to this assertion. Moreover, Mr Trump blaming the WHO for the deaths in the US is a far-fetched idea. And such blame games never help. Trump’s allegations against the WHO that it failed in sharing information in a timely and transparent manner are just an attempt to cover up policy failures at home. What could the WHO have done besides fostering research and spreading awareness? The efforts beyond this in each country are the responsibility of the government; an international organisation that has no power to force states cannot do much more than this. One thing is clear; the virus does not shy away from overcoming manmade barriers or borders. Suspending funds now will only make matters worse in the months to come.