The decision was announced on Thursday in a joint statement by US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who cited what they described as the WHO's failures during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They said US engagement with the organisation will now be limited to finalising withdrawal procedures and protecting the health and safety of Americans, adding that all US funding to the WHO has stopped.
The move follows President Donald Trump's announcement on January 20, 2025, the first day of his second term, that the US would leave the Geneva-based agency.
UN Spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed that the US is no longer participating in the WHO's work, although some legal and administrative details remain unresolved. He said the UN would welcome a full return of the US, stressing that global health threats such as pandemics and non-communicable diseases require international cooperation.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus previously said the organisation has already made budget cuts to manage funding shortfalls linked to the US exit.
The WHO's chief legal officer, Steven Solomon, noted that the organisation's founders had not originally included a withdrawal clause, viewing it as a universal body essential to global safety.
Public health experts have criticised the US decision. Health advocate Lucky Tran said the WHO has played a critical role in reducing disease and saving lives worldwide, warning that withdrawal weakens collective responses to global health threats.
Before the US exit, the WHO had 194 member states and has long coordinated international responses to health emergencies, including disease outbreaks and humanitarian crises across borders.
IGIHE
Source : https://en.igihe.com/health/article/us-leaves-who-raising-concerns-over-global-health-cooperation
