WHO regrets US decision to withdraw membership
What you need to know:
- Trump has been critical of the UN’s health agency for a long time.
Dar es Salaam. The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed disappointment over the United States' decision to end its membership in the organisation.
In an official statement released on January 21, 2025, from its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, WHO shared its dismay at the decision made by one of its founding members.
“The United States was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and has played a significant role in shaping and governing WHO’s work ever since, alongside 193 other Member States.
The US has actively participated in the World Health Assembly and the Executive Board,” the organization stated.
The statement further explained the close cooperation between the US and WHO in improving global health, including the health of Americans, and fighting health threats, such as disease outbreaks like smallpox.
WHO expressed hope that the US government would reconsider its decision.
“We hope the United States will reconsider, and we look forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the US and WHO, for the benefit of millions of people around the world,” the statement concluded.
This statement follows the announcement by US President Donald Trump on January 20, 2025, about withdrawing the US from the World Health Organization.
Trump has been critical of the UN’s health agency for a long time. His administration started the withdrawal process in July 2020 during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
However, this decision was halted when Trump lost the election to Joe Biden four years ago, and Biden stopped the US exit from WHO.
