President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization is bound to damage global efforts to combat the COVID-19 pandemic and other deadly diseases such as polio, HIV, and tuberculosis.
Public health advocates and Trump’s political opponents voiced outrage at this decision to withdraw from the WHO, which leads the global fight on diseases from polio to measles to mental health as well as COVID-19, at a time when cases have been rising around the world.
After he threatened to suspend the $400 million in annual U.S. contributions and then announcing a withdrawal, the Trump administration formally sent a notice to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, as informed by the State Department spokesperson.
In late May, Trump stated that China exerted “total control” over the WHO. He also accused the UN body, which is led by Tedros, an Ethiopian doctor and diplomat of failing to implement reforms.
Trump, a frequent critic of the UN has blamed China for the coronavirus and stated that the United States would be redirecting funding to other worldwide and deserving, urgent global public health needs.
The administration stated that the withdrawal will not reduce the United States’ leading role in supporting global health and humanitarian aid.
The United States has been a leading contributor to WHO’s budget and this decision by President Trump will create a shortfall of funds.
Lawrence Gostin, director of the O'Neill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University said that without U.S. funding and political support, there are chances that the world will see a resurgence of wild polio.
Apart from affecting the fight against COVID-19 pandemic, exit of U.S. from the WHO puts at risk the polio vaccination program that has been a priority for the U.S. across many administrations.
Gostin said this decision comes at a time when doctors believe polio is on the verge of being eradicated from our planet. It will impact other WHO programs that aim at combating drug-resistant tuberculosis, HIV, and malaria. These programs also ensure vaccinations for children and safe childbirth in poorer countries.
The Trump administration asserts that the WHO helped to conceal the extent of coronavirus outbreak in the early stages. But the WHO has vehemently rejected this allegation.