PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE USE
STEVE WATROUS
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF GREATER MILWAUKEE
AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS & FURTHER INFORMATION
[email protected] (E-MAIL) / 414-933-3033 (PHONE)
STEVE WATROUS
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED NATIONS ASSOCIATION OF GREATER MILWAUKEE
AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEWS & FURTHER INFORMATION
[email protected] (E-MAIL) / 414-933-3033 (PHONE)
“As of April 14, 2020 President Trump said that the United States would freeze all funding for the World Health Organization (WHO). This is an outrageous decision while the whole world remains in the midst of an unprecedented battle with COVID-19.
The impact of such a freeze could be catastrophic to the treatment and prevention of the coronavirus around the world including in our own communities. As the coronavirus pandemic reminds us, a contagious disease anywhere in the world could infect people in the Greater Milwaukee Area in a few days.
The United Nations Association of Greater Milwaukee and our national organization, the UNA-USA, stand with the WHO. We have made a chapter donation to the WHO and we're asking our Members of Congress to reject this freeze.”
Steve Watrous – President of the UNA of Greater Milwaukee
The World Health Organization has been the guiding organization for global health since its founding in 1948. The WHO and all other UN humanitarian agencies must be fully funded by all nations including the United States.
WHO has directed and coordinated international health within the United Nations system with 7,000 people working in 150 country offices and in six regional offices. WHO has extensive experience in fighting epidemics, diseases, other health outbreaks, and has distributed life-saving vaccines to millions of people.
It is extremely important to support the WHO in the time of the coronavirus pandemic. The WHO is the only international organization that can coordinate information globally on coronavirus outbreaks and research being done in 100 countries.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, the WHO has mobilized scientists, shared data and information, delivered essential supplies to where they are needed most, and issued guidance and recommendations for countries to follow. WHO staff are training millions of health workers in countries least prepared for the deadly disease and distributing protective equipment. If the United States government doesn’t fund efforts to keep the coronavirus from spreading freely in these places, it will be placing millions of people at high risk for infection and death.
It is projected that many more people will die from the impact of the pandemic as health systems are overwhelmed and food production and supply chains break down. The head of the World Food Program has issued a dire warning that the worst outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic will cause increased poverty and widespread starvation.
Food shortages will cause 265 million people to suffer chronic hunger. There will be multiple famines, mostly across Africa. With 821 million people in the world already food insecure, millions could perish with 300,000 deaths a day from starvation and disease by the end of 2020.
More than ever before, this is the time for the United States to support the UN and the WHO and engage in cooperation with the international community. All nations should heed the call by the Secretary General of the United Nations to cease conflict and cooperate on humanitarian relief across the globe.
_____________________________________________________________
Steve Watrous has served as the President of the UNA of Greater Milwaukee for the past five years. In this capacity, he has:
The UNA of Greater Milwaukee is a group of men and women who stand for peace and justice in the world and believe that the United Nations is an instrumental force in creating a peaceful world by educating, inspiring, and mobilizing people in the Greater Milwaukee Community to support the principles and vital work of the United Nations.
The UNA of Greater Milwaukee has usually held in-person meetings on the 2nd Saturday of each month from January - June and September - December from 10 AM - Noon at Redeemer Lutheran Church (rear entrance) located at 631 N. 19th Street in Milwaukee. The monthly in-person meetingsare open to the public and have featured a presentation & discussion on a specific topic relevant to the work of the United Nations.
The monthly in-person meetings of the UNA of Greater Milwaukee have been cancelled until further notice in order to assure the health and safety for all members and participants during the coronavirus pandemic.
The impact of such a freeze could be catastrophic to the treatment and prevention of the coronavirus around the world including in our own communities. As the coronavirus pandemic reminds us, a contagious disease anywhere in the world could infect people in the Greater Milwaukee Area in a few days.
The United Nations Association of Greater Milwaukee and our national organization, the UNA-USA, stand with the WHO. We have made a chapter donation to the WHO and we're asking our Members of Congress to reject this freeze.”
Steve Watrous – President of the UNA of Greater Milwaukee
The World Health Organization has been the guiding organization for global health since its founding in 1948. The WHO and all other UN humanitarian agencies must be fully funded by all nations including the United States.
WHO has directed and coordinated international health within the United Nations system with 7,000 people working in 150 country offices and in six regional offices. WHO has extensive experience in fighting epidemics, diseases, other health outbreaks, and has distributed life-saving vaccines to millions of people.
It is extremely important to support the WHO in the time of the coronavirus pandemic. The WHO is the only international organization that can coordinate information globally on coronavirus outbreaks and research being done in 100 countries.
Since the onset of the COVID-19 crisis, the WHO has mobilized scientists, shared data and information, delivered essential supplies to where they are needed most, and issued guidance and recommendations for countries to follow. WHO staff are training millions of health workers in countries least prepared for the deadly disease and distributing protective equipment. If the United States government doesn’t fund efforts to keep the coronavirus from spreading freely in these places, it will be placing millions of people at high risk for infection and death.
It is projected that many more people will die from the impact of the pandemic as health systems are overwhelmed and food production and supply chains break down. The head of the World Food Program has issued a dire warning that the worst outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic will cause increased poverty and widespread starvation.
Food shortages will cause 265 million people to suffer chronic hunger. There will be multiple famines, mostly across Africa. With 821 million people in the world already food insecure, millions could perish with 300,000 deaths a day from starvation and disease by the end of 2020.
More than ever before, this is the time for the United States to support the UN and the WHO and engage in cooperation with the international community. All nations should heed the call by the Secretary General of the United Nations to cease conflict and cooperate on humanitarian relief across the globe.
_____________________________________________________________
Steve Watrous has served as the President of the UNA of Greater Milwaukee for the past five years. In this capacity, he has:
- Chaired the monthly forums on global issues presented by the UNA of Greater Milwaukee
- Represented the Milwaukee chapter at four of the UNA-USA Annual National Summits
- Represented the Milwaukee chapter and UNA-USA as a delegate to the Triennial World Federation of UN Associations Conference
- Made official visits to UNA chapter offices in Latin America, Africa, and Europe
The UNA of Greater Milwaukee is a group of men and women who stand for peace and justice in the world and believe that the United Nations is an instrumental force in creating a peaceful world by educating, inspiring, and mobilizing people in the Greater Milwaukee Community to support the principles and vital work of the United Nations.
The UNA of Greater Milwaukee has usually held in-person meetings on the 2nd Saturday of each month from January - June and September - December from 10 AM - Noon at Redeemer Lutheran Church (rear entrance) located at 631 N. 19th Street in Milwaukee. The monthly in-person meetingsare open to the public and have featured a presentation & discussion on a specific topic relevant to the work of the United Nations.
The monthly in-person meetings of the UNA of Greater Milwaukee have been cancelled until further notice in order to assure the health and safety for all members and participants during the coronavirus pandemic.