President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the World Health Organization.
Speaking at the White House hours after his inauguration, President Trump said the United States was paying far more to the UN body compared to China.
Until the recent development, the United States, being the largest donor to WHO has been providing substantial financial support that is vital to the organisation’s operations.
Its withdrawal is expected to trigger a significant restructuring of the institution and could further disrupt global health initiatives.
During his first term, the United States president issued a notice of intent to withdraw, accusing the organization of being overly influenced by China during the Covid-19 pandemic’s early stages, a move was later reversed under former president Joe Biden’s administration.
In his new executive order, Trump directed agencies to pause the future transfer of any United States Government funds, support, or resources to the WHO and to identify credible and transparent United States and international partners to assume necessary activities previously undertaken by the WHO.
The administration also announced plans to review and rescind Biden’s 2024 US Global Health Security Strategy, which was designed to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease threats, as soon as practicable.
The timing of the US withdrawal comes amid mounting fears over the pandemic potential of the current bird flu outbreak (H5N1), which has infected dozens and claimed one life in the United States.