The World Health Organisation (WHO) has expressed regrets over the withdrawal announcement by the United States of America, and urged the country to reconsider the decision.
President Donald Trump announced that he is withdrawing the US from the Organisation on Monday citing the WHO’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises.
Trump also alleged its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states,” as reasons for the US withdrawal.
In response, the global health body urged the United States to reconsider and consider egaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO.
“We hope the United States will reconsider and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and well-being of millions of people around the globe”, the organisation said on its official X handle Tuesday.
“WHO plays a crucial role in protecting the health and security of the world’s people, including Americans, by addressing the root causes of disease, building stronger health systems, and detecting, preventing and responding to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks, often in dangerous places where others cannot go”, it added.
The United States was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and has participated in shaping and governing WHO’s work ever since, alongside 193 other Member States, including through its active participation in the World Health Assembly and Executive Board.
The organisation noted that for over seven decades, WHO and USA have saved countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats.
“Together, we ended smallpox, and together we have brought polio to the brink of eradication. American institutions have contributed to and benefited from membership in WHO.
“With the participation of the United States and other Member States, WHO has over the past 7 years implemented the largest set of reforms in its history, to transform our accountability, cost-effectiveness, and impact in countries. This work continues”, the organisation added.
But in his text on Monday, Trump said the WHO had failed to act independently from the “inappropriate political influence of WHO member states” and required “unfairly onerous payments” from the U.S. that are disproportionate to the sums provided by other, larger countries, such as China.
“World Health ripped us off, everybody rips off the United States. It’s not going to happen anymore,” Trump said at the signing of an executive order on the withdrawal, shortly after his inauguration to a second term’, he said.
Trump has long been critical of the United Nations’ health agency, and his administration formally began a withdrawal from the WHO in July 2020 as the Covid-19 pandemic continued to spread. But four years ago, then-President Joe Biden halted the US’ exit from the body tasked with coordinating the international response to health emergencies in one of his first actions after taking over the White House.
The US is the WHO’s biggest donor, contributing around 18% of its overall funding. WHO’s most recent two-year budget, for 2024-2025, was $6.8 billion.
The move means the U.S. will leave the United Nations health agency in 12 months’ time and stop all financial contributions to its work. Experts agree its exit would be a blow for the Geneva agency and the health of the world more broadly.
