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The US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of State have announced the United States’ completion of its withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) due to the organisation's mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China; its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr and Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a joint statement on the termination of US membership in the WHO.
President Trump on January 20th, 2025, announced the US plan to leave the WHO. During the yearlong process, the US stopped funding WHO, withdrew all personnel from WHO and began pivoting activities previously conducted with WHO to direct bilateral engagements with other countries and organisations. With the exit from WHO, the US will be coordinating with WHO solely in a limited fashion to effectuate withdrawal.
WHO issued a statement to respond to the charges laid by the US that WHO did not act adequately to respond to the Covid pandemic and after the pandemic, WHO didn't take adequate measures either.
WHO said in its response that the US was a founding member of WHO and had contributed immensely to eradicate many kinds of ailments. Therefore, WHO regrets the decision of the US to leave.
WHO said it stands by its response to this unprecedented global health crisis. Throughout the pandemic, WHO acted quickly, shared all information it had rapidly and transparently with the world; and advised Member States on the basis of the best available evidence.
The statement further said that immediately after receiving the first reports of a cluster of cases of “pneumonia of unknown cause” in Wuhan, China on 31st December 2019, WHO asked China for more information and activated its emergency incident management system. By the time the first death was reported from China on 11 January 2020, WHO had already alerted the world through formal channels, public statements and social media, convened global experts and published comprehensive guidance for countries on how to protect their populations and health systems.
The United States also said in its statements that WHO has “pursued a politicised, bureaucratic agenda driven by nations hostile to American interests”. This is untrue, said WHO. As a specialised agency of the United Nations, governed by 194 Member States, WHO has always been and remains impartial and exists to serve all countries, with respect for their sovereignty and without fear or favour.
WHO said, "We hope that in the future, the United States will return to active participation in WHO. Meanwhile, WHO remains steadfastly committed to working with all countries in pursuit of its core mission and constitutional mandate: the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental right for all people."
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