Politics

The United States has completed its exit from the World Health Organization (WHO), one year after President Donald Trump declared that America would end its 78-year membership, according to federal officials on Thursday. However, this departure is not without complications. The US owes over USD 130 million to the WHO. Officials from the Trump administration have admitted that they still face unresolved issues, including the loss of access to data from other nations that could help the US detect a new pandemic early. Experts, like Lawrence Gostin from Georgetown University, warn that this withdrawal will negatively impact the global response to outbreaks and hinder US scientists and pharmaceutical companies in creating vaccines and treatments for emerging threats. Gostin described it as “the most ruinous presidential decision in my lifetime.” The WHO is the health branch of the United Nations and is responsible for coordinating responses to worldwide health threats, such as diseases like mpox, Ebola, and polio. It also supports poorer nations by distributing limited vaccines, supplies, and treatments, while setting health guidelines for various issues, including mental health and cancer. Almost every country is a member of this organization. Trump pulled the US out of the WHO primarily due to concerns over COVID-19. American officials played a key role in establishing the WHO and have historically been among its largest contributors, donating hundreds of millions of dollars and sending numerous public health experts to assist. Typically, the US contributes about USD 111 million annually in membership fees and around USD 570 million more in voluntary donations, according to the US Department of Health and Human Services. In an executive order signed shortly after he took office, Trump stated that the US was leaving the WHO because of the organization's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other global health issues. He also criticized the agency for not implementing necessary reforms and for being influenced by political pressures from its member states. Like many health organizations, the WHO made significant errors during the pandemic, including initially advising against mask-wearing and claiming that COVID-19 was not airborne, a position it did not officially change until 2024.