WHO Chief Urges Nations to Convince U.S. to Reconsider Withdrawal
World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has called on global leaders to persuade the United States to reverse its decision to withdraw from the agency, Arab News reported. During a recent closed-door budget meeting, Tedros emphasized that the U.S. would miss vital information regarding global disease outbreaks if it exits.
The U.S. is the largest donor to WHO, contributing approximately $988 million, which constitutes about 14% of the agency’s $6.9 billion budget for 2024-2025. A budget document revealed that WHO’s health emergencies program heavily relies on U.S. funding, which supports up to 40% of its large-scale emergency operations.
Concerns were raised by various countries about how WHO would cope with the loss of U.S. funding, especially in light of ongoing health crises such as the Marburg virus and Ebola outbreaks. German envoy Bjorn Kummel described the U.S. exit as “the most extensive crisis WHO has faced in decades.”
While Tedros rebutted President Trump’s reasons for withdrawal, including claims of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic, he highlighted the potential void in critical health information that the U.S. would face. Experts warn that the withdrawal could lead to worse health outcomes for Americans and emphasize the need for an integrated global public health response. Tedros urged member states to continue advocating for U.S. engagement with WHO, stressing its importance for global health security.
