"Hope US reconsiders decision"... WHO responds to US withdrawal from global health body
The United States has announced its intention to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) within the next year, a decision that will halt all U.S. financial contributions. The WHO, which has been instrumental in global health security, expressed regret over the move.
FollowThe World Health Organisation (WHO) has responded to the US withdrawal from the global health body. In a statement on Tuesday (Jan 21), WHO said that it regrets the announcement of the United States of America to withdraw from the organisation. This comes after President Donald Trump declared to exit the World Health Organization saying the global health agency had mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises.
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.
What did the statement from WHO read?
The World Health Organization regrets the announcement that the United States of America intends to withdraw from the Organization.
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.
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.
For over seven decades, WHO and the 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.
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.
"World Health ripped us off, everybody rips off the United States. It's not going to happen anymore," Trump said at the signing.
The decision implies that the U.S. will exit the World Health Organization (WHO) in a year and cease all financial contributions to its operations. As the largest financial contributor to the WHO, the United States provides approximately 18% of its total funding. The WHO's latest two-year budget for 2024-2025 is set at $6.8 billion.
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