US Officially Withdraws from WHO
The United States has officially left the World Health Organization (WHO), one of its largest donors. The move follows an executive order signed by former President Donald Trump a year ago, citing concerns over the WHO being “China-centric” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The US Department of Health and Human Services said it withdrew due to the WHO’s alleged mishandling of the pandemic, failure to reform, and political influence from member states. The WHO has rejected these claims. Its Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, called the withdrawal a loss for both the US and the world.
WHO’s Global Role
The WHO has long coordinated efforts to combat polio, HIV/AIDS, maternal mortality, and tobacco-related harm. It also led discussions on an international pandemic treaty aimed at fairer vaccine and drug distribution. The US opposed the treaty, which was agreed in April last year by all other member states.
Traditionally, Washington has been one of the WHO’s top funders. However, it has not paid fees for 2024 and 2025, contributing to staff layoffs. WHO lawyers suggest the US owes about $260 million in arrears, but the government has refused to pay.
Terminating Engagement
The US has ended all WHO funding, recalled personnel and contractors from Geneva and other offices, and suspended hundreds of engagements with the organisation. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy and Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the WHO had “abandoned its core mission” and “acted against US interests.”
Going forward, US engagement with the WHO will be limited to withdrawal processes and protecting the American public health. Bilateral links with other countries for disease surveillance and pathogen sharing will continue, though officials have not specified which nations are involved.
Pandemic Response and Criticism
The US, like other countries with advanced health systems, faced criticism for a slow and inconsistent COVID-19 response. Hesitation to impose lockdowns and inconsistent mask guidance contributed to the rapid spread of the virus.
Research and public health experts, including Drew Altman, noted that federal leadership failures led to a fragmented response. Democrat-led states often mandated masks and social distancing, while Republican-led states largely ignored such measures. Studies have described the US federal response as slow and mismanaged, contributing to one of the highest Covid death rates worldwide.
