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Donald Trump’s transition team is pushing to withdraw the US from the World Health Organization on the first day of the new administration, according to experts who warn of the “catastrophic” impact it could have on health. the beauty of the world.
Members of Trump’s team told experts about their plan to announce their withdrawal from the World Health Organization the January 20 presidential inauguration. The move would take away a major source of funding for the WHO, undermining its ability to respond to public health crises such as the coronavirus pandemic.
“America will leave a huge gap in global health funding and leadership. I don’t see anyone filling the void,” said Lawrence Gostin, professor of global health at Georgetown Law. , adding that a plan to withdraw “on day one” would be a “disaster” for global health.
The battle for US relations with the WHO comes after Trump chose several partners, such as vaccine skeptic Robert F Kennedyfor higher health jobs in the next system. Still, Gostin said he’s not sure Trump will prioritize immediate resignation like others in his team.
US belongs to WHO the largest single donorit provides 16 per cent of its budget in 2022-23.
In 2020, Trump began the process of withdrawing from the WHO as Covid-19 spread, accusing the agency of being controlled by China. But the process was not completed and his successor Joe Biden start relationships again and the agency on his first day of work in 2021.
Experts have been told that some in Trump’s team want to move more quickly this time after starting the process immediately.
Ashish Jha, Biden’s former White House Covid coordinator and a professor at Brown University’s school of public health, says the transition team is looking for. Trump withdrawing on the first day because of a “sign” to reverse Biden’s inauguration day move.
“There are many people who will be part of the inner workings of the administration who do not trust the WHO and want to show on day one that they are out,” he said.
He added that some in the group wanted to continue being in the organization and strived to change it, while another group that believed in severing friendship was overcoming conflicts.
Body like WHO are essential to global cooperation in the development and distribution of vaccines and other treatments during public health emergencies, Jha said.
He warned: “If you don’t get involved in these institutions, you never know when the next disaster is going to happen.
Gostin said there will be “very few years for the WHO in which it will struggle to respond to health emergencies and will have to significantly reduce its scientific staff”.
He warned that if the US leaves the WHO, European countries would not be able to raise funds and China would try to have more influence. “It would not be a wise move as withdrawing would cause the Chinese leadership to exist,” he said.
Trump’s transition team did not comment directly on the possible removal. A person familiar with the plans told the Financial Times: “Who is the same as the one we left in the first government? It seems we won’t care what they say.”
The WHO did not comment. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the group’s director-general, said this month that it is a “special organization” that hopes to cooperate with US policymakers.
“For our part, we are ready to work together,” he said. “I believe that US leaders understand that the US will not be safe unless the rest of the world is safe.”
