President of the USA Donald Trump signed an order on Monday evening indicating the exit of the country from the World Health Organization. He signed the document in the White House in Washington only a few hours after his inauguration. Trump told journalists: "The World Health Organization led us into delusion." He also stated that the USA "will call back and reassign or re-sign any employees or contractors working with the organization." According to him, it was also stated in the order. At this moment, the World Health Organization has not commented on this step. Thus, Trump started the procedure for the USA's exit from the WHO, which had previously become a subject of his criticism due to the response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump pointed out that the organization "failed us" during the coronavirus pandemic and other international health crises. He also added that the organization operated unreasonably under the "non-approaching political influence of member states" and demanded "emergency and unjustified payments" from the USA. The order on the exit from the WHO is signed with the aim of completing the exit process of the United States from the organization and stopping all financing of its activities.
The reaction to this step was expressed on the part of the WHO. The organization stated that it regrets the decision of the new American president's administration and hopes that the USA will reconsider its position. Additionally, the WHO emphasized the significant contribution of the USA to the overall financing of the organization, which makes it their largest donor in 2023. According to the WHO statement, over the last seven decades, it and the USA together saved millions of lives and protected Americans and people all over the world from health threats.
Trump's decision raised concern among many experts in the field of public health, who expressed fears that such a move could hinder global progress in health, especially in combating infectious diseases.
