U.S. public health officials have been instructed to cease all collaborations with the World Health Organization (WHO) with immediate effect. The directive, issued by a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) official, mandates that all staff working with the WHO must suspend their collaborations and await further guidance.
The sudden stoppage of collaboration is expected to impede efforts to investigate and combat outbreaks of Marburg virus and mpox in Africa, as well as other global health threats. This decision comes at a time when health authorities worldwide are closely monitoring bird flu outbreaks among U.S. livestock.
The halt in collaboration with WHO applies to all CDC staff engaged in technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, cooperative agreements, or any other means of interaction with the WHO, whether in person or virtually. Additionally, CDC staff are prohibited from visiting WHO offices.
President Donald Trump recently issued an executive order to initiate the process of withdrawing the U.S. from the WHO. However, the withdrawal is subject to congressional approval, meeting financial obligations for the current fiscal year, and providing a one-year notice.
The collaboration between CDC and WHO is crucial for sharing expertise, new tests, treatments, and information on emerging health threats. The sudden halt in communications and meetings with WHO has raised concerns among public health experts about the potential impact on global health security.
In addition to the cessation of collaboration with WHO, the Trump administration has also frozen spending on the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a critical program credited with saving millions of lives.
The decision to halt collaboration with WHO and freeze spending on PEPFAR has raised alarms among health experts and officials, who emphasize the importance of international cooperation in addressing public health challenges.
Both the CDC and WHO have not responded to requests for comments on the directive to halt collaboration. The implications of this decision on global health efforts remain a topic of concern and discussion among health professionals and policymakers.
