The United States of America has announced its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), opting to establish direct connections with states and private initiatives in the field of global health. This was reported by Kazinform.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services emphasized that the country will continue to actively participate in global health, but not through the WHO.
The Trump administration pointed to existing disagreements with the WHO, accusing the organization of insufficient response to the COVID-19 pandemic, inability to reform, and unjustified financial demands on the U.S. The State Department stated that further support for the organization is being suspended, as they believe the WHO's mistakes have cost Americans trillions of dollars. According to the directive, American staff were immediately withdrawn from the WHO, and U.S. participation in crucial global negotiations, including those concerning a pandemic treaty, was halted.
The U.S. is expected to develop cooperation with other countries, as well as with non-governmental and religious organizations, NBC News reports. Representatives from the Department of Health and Human Services did not specify whether America would participate in the upcoming WHO meeting scheduled for February 27.
However, the U.S. exit from the organization has become a topic of discussion, as the country has not paid about $260 million in unpaid membership dues for 2024 and 2025, according to Inter Bellum News. Legal experts argue that this move contradicts U.S. law and may complicate the withdrawal from the organization.
After losing its largest donor, the WHO is facing a serious financial crisis, as the U.S. accounted for about 18% of its budget.
Infectious disease specialists warn that the withdrawal from the WHO could create significant gaps in disease monitoring and preparedness. This is particularly relevant in light of annual flu outbreaks in the U.S.
"The WHO has a network of 127 laboratories around the world that are engaged in identifying and sequencing flu strains. The WHO is like a library, and the U.S. had an accessible card to obtain the necessary information. Now we are left without that access," noted global health expert Jesse Bump from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
