Trump’s Withdrawal From WHO: What It Means For Global Health

The WHO is a vital global health body, supported by a fifth of its budget from the United States. It plays a key role in improving health standards worldwide, responding to emergencies, and combating diseases. But Trump has criticized the organization, calling it “corrupt” and accusing it of mismanaging the COVID-19 pandemic.

In response, the WHO expressed regret over the U.S. decision. It emphasized that in the past seven years, the organization had implemented significant reforms to improve accountability, cost-effectiveness, and its impact across the globe.

Founded in 1948 after World War II, the WHO is one of several international institutions created to foster global cooperation. Its mission is to ensure the highest possible standard of health for all people. The organization works in over 150 countries, focusing on expanding health coverage and leading emergency responses to diseases like yellow fever, cholera, and Ebola.

WHO’s most significant achievement was the eradication of smallpox in 1980, marking the first and only instance where an infectious disease was completely wiped out. The organization continues to play a critical role in global health initiatives, including efforts to eliminate polio, improve life expectancy, and respond to outbreaks like Ebola.

Trump’s decision to pull out of WHO is not new. He previously tried to withdraw in 2020, accusing the agency of mishandling the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump, who has long suggested the virus came from a lab in Wuhan, China, believes the WHO has been too lenient with Beijing.

During his re-election campaign, Trump criticized the WHO as a “corrupt globalist scam” that favored China. While the organization has called for more transparency from China regarding the virus’s origins, many experts argue that WHO played a crucial role in combating the pandemic, including convincing China to release the virus’s genetic sequence, which helped accelerate vaccine development.

Financial concerns also play a part. Trump has pointed out that the U.S. contributes approximately $500 million annually to the WHO, while China contributes just $40 million, despite its larger population.

Public health experts argue that Trump’s decision could have severe consequences. Lawrence Gostin, a professor at Georgetown University, warned that the U.S. withdrawal could “sow the seeds for the next pandemic.” WHO’s role in global health cooperation is critical, experts say. Devi Sridhar, a global health professor at the University of Edinburgh, emphasized that the U.S. benefits from being part of WHO, particularly in terms of national security and pandemic response.

Alan Bernstein, a global health expert at the University of Oxford, noted that WHO was instrumental in the early stages of the COVID-19 crisis, especially in securing essential data from China.

Although the U.S. withdrawal process takes a year, Trump’s executive order calls for halting funding to WHO “with all practicable speed.” This could accelerate the departure.

WHO has already requested $1.5 billion to address ongoing health emergencies. Tedros Adhanom, the WHO Director-General, expressed disappointment at the U.S. decision, stressing that the U.S. and WHO have long worked together to combat health threats. Together, the two entities have made significant strides in eradicating smallpox and bringing polio to the brink of elimination.

Experts fear that withdrawing from WHO could delay efforts to combat diseases like polio, tuberculosis, and HIV. It may also hinder the global response to future health crises, including new outbreaks yet to emerge.

In summary, while Trump’s decision reflects a broader skepticism towards international organizations, the consequences of abandoning WHO could extend far beyond the pandemic, impacting global health security for years to come.