US Withdrawal from World Health Organization (WHO)

International Affairs Health

22-Jan-25

Context: On his first day in office, President Donald Trump signed an executive order withdrawing the U.S. from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Details of the Executive Order:

The order included four key actions:

Pause on funding: All U.S. financial contributions to WHO were stopped. The U.S. contributes around 20% of WHO’s total budget. The U.S. is the largest single financial contributor, both through mandatory and voluntary
Recall of U.S. personnel: All U.S. government workers linked to WHO were recalled.
Identify new partners: The U.S. would find new international partners to take over roles previously carried out by WHO.
Stop negotiations on the pandemic treaty: The U.S. would stop participating in negotiations about a global pandemic treaty that WHO was working on to help countries prepare for future health crises.

Trump listed several reasons for this decision:

WHO mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic.
WHO failed to implement urgent reforms.
WHO showed political bias and was influenced by member states.
The U.S. was asked for unfairly large financial contributions.

Immediate Actions Outlined in the Executive Order

Halt in the U.S. Funding: Immediate cessation of all financial transfers to WHO.
Personnel Withdrawal: Recall of U.S. government employees working with WHO.
Development of Alternatives: Identification of credible domestic and international partners to replace WHO’s functions.
Pandemic Treaty Exit: Discontinuation of negotiations on the WHO’s pandemic treaty, a framework aimed at improving global pandemic responses.

Impact on India

Health Programs in India: WHO plays a role in several health programs in India, like fighting diseases such as malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, and providing support for the immunization program.
Funding Cuts: The loss of U.S. funding means WHO may not be able to fund or implement these programs effectively in India and other countries.
Expertise Loss: U.S. health experts have contributed significantly to WHO’s research and guidelines for handling health crises. Their absence will affect how WHO can guide countries during health emergencies.

The Role of India and the Global South

With the U.S. pulling out, countries like India and China from the Global South could play a more significant role in filling the gap left by the U.S.
India has become a prominent voice in the Global South on health and other international issues, and experts expect India to step up and lead global health efforts along with other nations like South Africa.

About World Health Organization (WHO)

The World Health Organization (WHO) is the global health body of the United Nations (UN), founded in 1948 in the aftermath of World War II. Its primary mission is to promote global health, protect against infectious diseases, and serve vulnerable populations

Key Functions of WHO

Global Health Promotion: WHO works on improving health systems, strengthening primary health care, and increasing access to essential health services for people worldwide.
Disease Control: It helps combat both infectious and non-infectious diseases through global health programs.
Universal Health Coverage (UHC): WHO aims to expand healthcare access to a billion more people and ensure better protection against health emergencies for another billion.
Essential Medicines and Medical Devices: WHO maintains a list of essential medicines that hospitals should stock. It also has a similar list for diagnostic tests and priority medical devices, such as ventilators, X-ray, and ultrasound machines.
Funding: The WHO is funded in part by mandatory fees from member states, alongside voluntary contributions and an investment round.
Withdrawal: The WHO constitution does not allow for a simple withdrawal. However, when the U.S. joined WHO in 1948, it had a special condition that allowed it to withdraw by giving a one-year notice and settling financial obligations for that year.

Major Successes of WHO

Child Vaccination: WHO's vaccination programs have been pivotal in eradicating smallpox in 1979 and reducing polio by 99% in recent decades.
Leadership in Health Crises: WHO played a central role in managing global health emergencies such as: 2003 SARS epidemic; 2009 H1N1 (swine flu) epidemic; 2014 Ebola outbreak in West Africa; 2016 Zika virus outbreak in the Americas; 2019 Ebola epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo; COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
Health Emergency Declarations: WHO has the exclusive authority to declare global health emergencies. Since 2007, it has done so six times, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. Withdrawal from WHO Domestic Consequences

Limited Access to Global Health Data:

The U.S. would lose access to critical information on emerging infectious diseases, potentially leaving the country vulnerable to new health threats.

Vaccine Preparedness:

Exiting the WHO could impact access to influenza strain samples, essential for producing effective vaccines, leading to increased hospitalizations and deaths from preventable diseases like the flu.

Reduced Influence in Global Health Policy:

By withdrawing, the U.S. would relinquish its leadership role, creating a vacuum likely to be filled by countries like China. This shift could reduce America’s diplomatic leverage in international health.

Geopolitical Shifts and the Role of Emerging Economies

The U.S. withdrawal may pave the way for greater involvement from China and the Global South, including India.
China has already pledged $30 million in additional funding to WHO, a move likely to strengthen its influence in global health governance.
Experts suggest this is an opportunity for India and other emerging economies to step up.
India’s leadership in vaccine production and its positioning as the "voice of the Global South" can play a pivotal role in shaping a balanced global health framework.

U.S. Withdrawal from WHO Challenges

WHO faces significant internal criticisms, including slow responses to health crises and inefficiencies in implementing reforms.
While funding cuts may exacerbate these issues, experts argue that constructive engagement rather than withdrawal is a better strategy to drive meaningful reform within the organization.

U.S. Withdrawal from WHO Way Forward

Judicial Clarity:

Legal experts question the constitutionality of Trump’s decision, suggesting Congressional approval may be required for withdrawal.

Reforming WHO:

WHO must address inefficiencies, improve transparency, and speed up emergency response protocols to regain trust and maintain global health leadership.