The World Health Organization ( WHO ) on Tuesday expressed deep regret over President Donald Trump’s executive order to withdraw the United States from the global health body.
The news has sparked widespread worry about the implications for global health initiatives, as the United States has played a key role in funding and shaping WHO’s job since its founding in 1948.
WHO director Tarik Jasarevic confirmed the organisation’s sorrow, stating, “The World Health Organization regrets the news that the United States of America intends to remove from the company. ”
WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus echoed the sentiment in an official speech, emphasising the importance of the relationship between the United States and WHO over the years.
“Together, we ended influenza and brought polio to the brink of destruction, ” the speech noted.
Tedros also highlighted the organisation’s important role in addressing global health emergencies, usually in challenging situations, and urged the United States to evaluate its choice.
The United States has been the WHO’s largest economic source, providing significant tools for initiatives combating infectious conditions, strengthening health systems, and responding to health crises around. The departure was severely destroy these efforts and undermine global preparation against pandemics.
Tom Frieden, a former top health national under President Barack Obama, warned that the move undermines international protection. ” We don’t produce WHO more powerful by walking away from it,” he wrote on X.
Georgetown University’s Lawrence Gostin cautioned that losing access to WHO’s illness surveillance data could harm U. S. safety and development in addressing heath risks.
The schedule of the departure raises more worries, as it coincides with negotiations for the world’s second convention on pandemic preparedness and prevention—a procedure now set to continue without US membership.
China ’s answer
Meanwhile, China has pledged continued support for WHO, with foreign department spokesperson Guo Jiakun asserting, “The position of WHO should merely be strengthened, no weakened. ” This speech reflects Beijing’s intention to fill the vacuum left by the United States’ withdrawal.
Trump’s professional buy also directs US agencies to end cash to WHO and investigate other global wellness partnerships. The shift reverses the 2024 Global Health Security Strategy enacted under President Joe Biden, which prioritised planned actions to communicable disease hazards.
The WHO remains hopeful that the United States may reconsider its place. “We hope the United States may evaluate. We look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership, ” Tedros stated, emphasising the shared goal of safeguarding global health.
