President Donald Trump has begun withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organisation — one of his first actions since returning to office on Monday.
Calling the executive order 'a big one,' Mr Trump highlighted it as one of dozens of orders signed on his first day back. This marks the second time he has initiated the US's departure from the WHO.
During his first presidency, President Trump was critical of how the global health body handled the Covid-19 pandemic.
He began withdrawing from the institution during the pandemic, but President Joe Biden later reversed this.
With Mr Trump back at the helm, it appears increasingly likely that the US will permanently withdraw from the WHO, especially as the move was prioritised on his first day in office.
'They wanted us back so badly, so we'll see what happens,' Mr Trump remarked while signing the order in the Oval Office, referring to the WHO. His comment suggests there might still be a scenario where the US could consider rejoining under certain conditions.
Here’s an in-depth look at what this decision could mean for the US and the broader global landscape.
What is the WHO?
The World Health Organisation (WHO) is a specialised agency of the United Nations, established on April 7, 1948, dedicated to promoting global health, advancing medical knowledge, and mitigating public health risks. It is the authority on international health matters, offering guidance, setting standards, and providing technical support to countries worldwide.
One of the most public examples of its work was during the Covid-19 pandemic. The WHO played a key role in tracking the spread of the virus, disseminating critical data, and facilitating equitable access to care and vaccines globally.
The WHO outlines its mission as achieving universal health coverage, aiming to provide healthcare access to an additional one billion people worldwide. Key initiatives to achieve this include:
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the organisation comprises 194 member states. It collaborates with governments, non-governmental organisations, and global partners to promote health equity and address challenges such as disease outbreaks and environmental health risks.
What could happen if the US leaves the WHO?
Under the Biden administration, the US was the largest funder of the WHO, contributing nearly one-fifth of the Geneva-based agency's budget in 2023. As a result, a US withdrawal could significantly impact the organisation’s finances, potentially hindering its operations.
Public health experts have also warned that such a decision could have serious consequences for the health of Americans. It might disrupt progress in combating infectious diseases including malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, and AIDS.
Speaking to the BBC, Lawrence Gostin, a global public health expert and Georgetown University professor said: "It's a cataclysmic presidential decision. Withdrawal is a grievous wound to world health, but a still deeper wound to the US."
Why does Trump want to leave the WHO?
Mr Trump has been trying to get the US to leave the WHO since his first term in office.
The order he signed on January 20 stated that the US was withdrawing "due to the organization's mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states."
The executive order also mentioned "unfairly onerous payments" that the US made to the WHO.
Previously, Mr Trump had been openly critical of the global organisation for being too “China-centric” during the pandemic. He accused the WHO of being biased towards China while issuing guidance during the international crisis.
