Washington. America has officially announced its separation from the World Health Organization (WHO). The US Health and State Department said that America is no longer a member of WHO. Along with this, the American flag has also been removed from outside the WHO headquarters in Geneva. The US has said that it will continue limited cooperation with the organization to complete the separation process.
Let us tell you, this step has been taken after the executive order issued by President Donald Trump a year ago to start the process of separation from the organization. This decision was announced jointly by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the State Department. A senior HHS official said that WHO has deviated from its core mission and on many occasions has acted contrary to the interests of the American public.
The US administration criticized WHO the most for its handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. HHS alleges that the organization delayed declaring COVID-19 a global health emergency and improperly criticized President Trump for taking steps such as imposing travel bans from certain countries early in the pandemic.
Additionally, HHS also argued that the economic contribution of other countries, such as China, is lower than that of the United States, yet there has never been an American Director General of WHO. The administration says that despite America’s large financial contribution, its role and influence in the organization has not been at the expected level.
Trump’s decision is being condemned
Health experts and medical organizations have strongly criticized this decision of America. Dr. Ronald Nahas, President of the Infectious Disease Society of America (IDSA), said that separation from WHO would be harmful for both America and the world. He said global cooperation and communication are essential to protect our citizens as infectious diseases do not respect borders.
Nahas warned that leaving the WHO could weaken the US’s ability to monitor emerging threats such as Ebola and the growing outbreak of the annual flu. He also said that this could affect America’s role in developing vaccines tailored to current flu infections. According to him, separation from WHO is scientifically irresponsible. Global cooperation is not an option, but a biological necessity.
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