The United States has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO).

As a result, the UN agency has lost one of its largest donors. A year ago, US President Donald Trump indicated that he would withdraw from the WHO in an executive order. He also criticized the organization for being “overly pro-China” during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The US Department of Health and Human Services said that the decision was made due to the WHO’s alleged “mismanagement” of the pandemic, inability to reform and political influence of member states. However, the WHO rejected these allegations. The organization’s Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that the US withdrawal is harmful not only for the United States, but also for the entire world.

The WHO highlighted its global activities and said that it has been working in many important areas, including polio, HIV/AIDS, reducing maternal mortality and international treaties on tobacco control.

After the pandemic, WHO member states took the initiative to create an international pandemic agreement to deal with future health risks. The agreement aimed to strengthen cooperation in preventing, preparing for and responding to future pandemics, as well as to share vaccines and medicines more fairly. In April last year, all member states except the United States agreed to the agreement.

The BBC says that the United States has traditionally been one of the WHO's largest donors. But it has not paid any contributions for 2024 and 2025. This has caused the organization to face a major financial crisis and has led to a large number of staff layoffs. WHO lawyers say that the United States has a legal obligation to pay about $ 260 million in arrears. However, Washington has said that it sees no reason to pay this money.

The United States also said that all its government funding to the WHO has been stopped, US officials and contractors have been withdrawn from its Geneva-based headquarters and various offices around the world, and hundreds of activities associated with the WHO have been suspended or canceled.

US Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy and Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a joint statement that “the WHO has tarnished and destroyed all of America’s contributions.” They alleged that the organization had deviated from its original mission and repeatedly acted against US interests, even failing to return the US flag at its Geneva headquarters.

The US says it will continue to monitor diseases and share germs through bilateral relationships with other countries. However, the country has not yet been able to provide specific information on which countries it has such relationships with. In addition, when asked whether global efforts to eradicate polio or HIV will continue, officials said that the US will work in partnership with NGOs and faith-based organizations. However, they have not yet been able to provide any specific agreements. Officials are also not sure whether the US will participate in sharing information on the development of the annual global flu vaccine.

Incidentally, after Trump signed the withdrawal order at the beginning of his second term, the WHO expressed hope in a statement that the US will reconsider its decision. They said that together, the WHO and the United States have saved countless lives and protected Americans and the world from various health risks. The organization also commented that the return of the United States would bring health benefits to millions of people around the world.

However, the response of countries with advanced health systems, including the United States and the United Kingdom, to the Covid-19 pandemic has also been criticized. Many governments have been slow to impose lockdowns, hesitant to take strict measures for fear of a backlash from citizens. Research has shown that this delay has led to the rapid spread of the virus.

News BBC