A controversial decision: Will the US withdrawal from the WHO undermine global health security, and will it also degrade the US's standing in the field of medical science?
For the second time, President Donald Trump has announced his intention to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO), an international organization that works to eradicate diseases and monitor outbreaks of epidemics. According to his statement, the United States will end its involvement in the organization by January 2026, a 12-month process.
Trump signed a presidential order on January 20, ordering the beginning of the process of withdrawing from the organization, following his claims that the US financial contribution to the WHO is “unfairly heavy”. The president has also criticized the organization’s performance during the coronavirus pandemic. This is not the first time Trump has tried to withdraw from the organization – a similar attempt in July 2020 failed after President Joe Biden overturned the decision upon taking office in 2021.
WHO's Roles and US Influence
The United States was a founding member of the WHO in 1948 and is a significant contributor to the organization's funding. Between 2022 and 2023, the United States contributed approximately $1.25 billion, making it the largest donor. Germany, the second largest donor, contributed $856 million.
WHO acts as an early warning system for communicable diseases and provides global control mechanisms. The organization develops international health regulations, provides vaccines, and helps countries deal with noncommunicable diseases such as cancer and diabetes. The organization also plays an important role in humanitarian emergencies, such as in Ukraine, Sudan, and Myanmar.
According to Paul Spiegel, director of the Center for Humanitarian Health at Johns Hopkins University, "Collaboration between WHO and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is important for global health security."
The consequences of the US exit
The US withdrawal will cause serious financial damage to the World Health Organization, which may be forced to reduce its activities. Poor countries, mainly in Africa and the Middle East, may be the main victims of the expected cuts, as well as regions subject to humanitarian crises.
According to Spiegel, "The exit will also hurt the United States, as it will remain more exposed to infectious diseases. The connection between the WHO and the CDC will be damaged, and the ability to share information about potential epidemics will be reduced."
This decision is also expected to affect science and policy in the US. WHO assists in international research and collaborations with health ministries around the world. In addition, the US absence from World Health Assembly meetings, which are dedicated to issues such as vaccine procurement and health diplomacy, will create a vacuum that players such as China could fill.
Diplomatic reactions and consequences
While Trump presents the move as a way to ease the economic burden, experts warn that the move will lead to American isolation on the international stage. A group of health policy experts wrote in the journal BMJ that the move “will weaken the WHO and damage the US’s standing in the world, especially at a time when global cooperation is needed.”
In addition, the reduction of WHO's activities could lead to the cessation of important projects such as cholera vaccinations, as was recently done in Kenya, where about 2 million people were vaccinated.
Despite the financial benefits of the exit, the move raises questions about the US commitment to global health. Beyond the immediate impact on the WHO, the move could affect the US's ability to address global health challenges in the future. Experts are urging leaders to reconsider the decision, focusing on the need for cooperation and unity in the international arena.
As we already published in the opinion column, here too There is a huge interest from business ownersם Who don't want to stop, and are willing to kill their employees and customers.
It is sad that the most powerful scientific power is turning its back on science. This does not really advance the US, but rather sets it back and gives other countries, mainly China but also to a certain extent the European Union, an opportunity to overtake it.
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