US Decision to Withdraw from WHO Raises Concerns Over Global Health Funding

President Trump’s recent executive order to withdraw from WHO could drastically impact international health responses, jeopardizing future efforts to combat pandemics and diseases like malaria and HIV.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to commence the process of withdrawing from the World Health Organization (WHO). Trump described this move as significant upon returning to the White House, where he enacted several decisive measures on his first day in office. This is not the first time Trump has sought to remove the US from the WHO; he announced intentions to withdraw during the pandemic, a decision that was later reversed by President Joe Biden. The swift action on withdrawal suggests a stronger likelihood of the US formally exiting the global agency.

The executive order cites the WHO's handling of the Covid-19 pandemic as a core reason for withdrawal, criticizing the organization for its perceived mismanagement and lack of reforms, as well as for being excessively influenced by member states, particularly China. Under Trump’s administration, significant payments made by the US to the WHO were labeled as "unfairly onerous."

During Biden's tenure, the US remained the largest financial supporter of WHO, contributing nearly 20% of its annual budget of approximately $6.8 billion. The immediate consequences of a US exit could mean a rapid reduction in funding, and it remains uncertain whether other countries would step in to fill the void. Such funding loss poses risks to the WHO's emergency response capabilities, including tackling diseases such as Ebola or future pandemics akin to Covid-19.

Public health experts have warned of serious repercussions, stating that a US withdrawal could harm health globally, including that of Americans, as it may undermine progress against infectious diseases like tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. Ashish Jha, who previously coordinated the US's Covid-19 response under Biden, noted that this decision compromises US leadership and international scientific collaboration. Global health expert Lawrence Gostin described the withdrawal as a significant setback, not only for world health but also for the US itself.

While some see potential for this move to trigger essential reforms within the WHO, thereby improving its responsiveness to health needs worldwide, existing signals from Washington indicate that Trump's latest attempt to extract the US from the organization is unlikely to be reconsidered.