The United States left the World Health Organization on Thursday, after a year's notice. The departure was announced by Donald Trump as he returned to the White House and then notified to the UN on January 22, 2025.
A withdrawal which is not without consequences for the country regarding epidemiological surveillance.
''Global health is a matter of national policy and national security. This is a matter of national security, as the World Health Organization plays a vital role in disease surveillance, updating vaccine standards, sharing data, etc. Without it, the United States is vulnerable: we are vulnerable to pandemics, we are vulnerable to infectious diseases that can spread here in America. When we withdraw, when the United States withdraws, we are less prepared, we are literally less prepared for a pandemic, we have less access to essential data that can inform our public health policy. It is for these reasons that we are becoming more vulnerable to the threats of a future pandemic.'',explains Omer Awan, public health expert.
The expert further warned that US withdrawal would not stop WHO activities, but would significantly reduce US influence in global health affairs.
''We will significantly lose our influence and many other countries will no longer view us as a global health power. Global health policy does not end when the United States withdraws from the World Health Organization. Our influence ends when we withdraw from the World Health Organization,'' adds the expert.
The departure of the United States deprives the WHO of 18% of its budget.
