For nearly 40 years, Partners In Health (PIH) has collaborated with the World Health Organization (WHO) to advance health outcomes across the 11 PIH sites where we work. From the organization’s critical support during disease outbreaks, such as the recent Marburg outbreak in Rwanda, to ongoing collaboration to address chronic conditions among children, the WHO’s partnership with PIH and national governments is indispensable.
To continue this work and advance the right to health, the United States must remain part of the WHO. As such, PIH opposes the Trump administration’s announcement on January 20 to withdraw the U.S. from the WHO in the strongest terms possible.
Below, learn more about the WHO, what a U.S. withdrawal means for PIH and global health, the impact of the 90-day foreign aid pause, and more:
What is the World Health Organization (WHO)?
The WHO is a specialized agency of the United Nations and a cornerstone of global health, serving as a vital force in saving lives and advancing health equity worldwide. Established in 1948, the WHO has played a pivotal role in combating infectious diseases, coordinating responses to global health emergencies, and supporting underserved communities.
How is the WHO funded?
The WHO is funded by Member States, such as the U.S., who pay membership dues calculated relative to a country’s wealth and population; and voluntary contributions from Member States and other partners, such as philanthropic foundations and the private sector. The WHO operates on an annual budget of approximately $2.1 billion, with the U.S. historically providing about 15% of this funding.
What will the U.S. lose by exiting the WHO?
If the U.S. exits the WHO, this means:
- Losing a seat at the table in global decisions on which strains of flu and COVID should be used for annual vaccines
- Untimely access to invaluable global data about circulating viruses
- No involvement in discussions regarding plans to address emerging threats to public health
How will U.S. withdrawal from the WHO affect global health?
U.S. withdrawal from the WHO will have catastrophic consequences for global health, particularly for underserved and vulnerable communities. The withdrawal of U.S. financial and political support severely weakens the WHO’s capacity to respond to health crises, jeopardizes global vaccination and disease prevention programs, and disrupts critical partnerships needed for coordinated international responses.
Mohau Nyapholi, a radiographer, conducts a chest X-ray on Kaizer Mahapa at PIH-supported Botšabelo Hospital in Maseru, Lesotho on April 22, 2024. Although cured of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, Mahapa requires supplemental oxygen for severe, permanent lung damage from the infectious disease.
Photo by Caitlin Kleiboer / PIH
How will U.S. withdrawal from the WHO impact countries where PIH works?
If the U.S. withdrawals from the WHO, potential impacts on PIH-supported countries include:
- Limiting invaluable resources for creating clinical protocols for diseases that impact patients globally, such as cholera, mpox, Marburg.
- Reducing the flow of critical information about disease outbreaks, transmission patterns, variants, treatment efficacy, and more to the Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and ultimately, the rest of the world, including the U.S. This limits our collective ability to prepare for and stop the spread of new or emerging infectious diseases.
- Limiting resources for comprehensive, evidence-based approaches and tools for health system strengthening, such as increasing access to medical oxygen.
- Limiting research and development for essential medical countermeasures, such as diagnostics, therapeutics, and vaccines.
What is the foreign aid pause?
In addition to the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO, the Trump administration announced a concurrent 90-day pause in foreign aid. PIH strongly condemns the pause as a harmful decision with devastating implications for global health, international development, and the wellbeing of vulnerable people around the world.
How will the 90-day foreign aid pause impact PIH funding?
PIH is working to quickly understand the full scope of the impact the order will have on our work and partners. The abrupt suspension in funding disrupts essential supply chains, undermines health systems, and forces organizations like PIH to fill more gaps and shoulder the increased burden now placed on local health ministries already operating with limited resources. The ripple effects of this pause are far-reaching, threatening to destabilize decades of progress in global health and leaving critical initiatives underfunded and vulnerable. The Executive Order does not immediately place PIH in a state of financial instability; however, if extended, the long-term impact on PIH’s operations is likely to be profound.
PIH urges the Trump administration to reverse the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO and the 90-day halt to foreign aid. Failure to do so will have catastrophic consequences for global health.
Originally published on pih.org
