The United States' pause on foreign aid contributions is having a serious impact on global health, hitting programmes fighting polio, HIV and other threats, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said on Wednesday.

A World Health Organization spokesperson said on Tuesday that communication on bird flu had become challenging since President Donald Trump announced a U.S. withdrawal from the United Nations health agency.

Speaking publicly for the first time about the USAID freeze, Dr Tedros has asked the US to reconsider its position.

World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged the country to consider resuming aid funding until solutions can be found