US abortion ruling ‘a setback’ that will cost lives, says WHO chief

World Health Organisation chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus was speaking during a media briefing (Johanna Geron/Pool Photo via AP)

The head of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has criticised the US Supreme Court decision to overturn Roe v Wade, calling the decision to no longer recognise a constitutional right to abortion “a setback” that would ultimately cost lives.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said during a media briefing that decades of scientific data proved that access to safe and legal abortion saved lives.