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US Withdrawal from WHO: Five-Year Anniversary Marked

  //health-fitness.news-articles.net/content/2026/ .. rawal-from-who-five-year-anniversary-marked.html
  Published in Health and Fitness on Thursday, February 19th 2026 at 21:19 GMT by The Independent
      Locales: UNITED STATES, SWITZERLAND, CHINA

Geneva, Switzerland - February 20, 2026 - Today marks the five-year anniversary of the United States' formal withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), a decision initially instigated by former President Donald Trump and, despite early signals to the contrary, ultimately ratified by successive administrations. While the immediate fallout in 2021 was significant, the lasting impact on global health security, pandemic preparedness, and international cooperation is now becoming starkly apparent.

The original decision, announced in 2020 and taking effect in July 2021, centered around criticisms of the WHO's response to the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump accused the organization of being overly deferential to China and enabling the spread of misinformation. These accusations, while politically charged, tapped into legitimate concerns regarding transparency and responsiveness within international health bodies. However, the withdrawal itself was widely condemned by public health experts and international allies, who warned of the potential for catastrophic consequences.

Initially, the Biden administration signaled its intention to rejoin the WHO, but legal hurdles and a shifting geopolitical landscape prevented a swift reversal. The formal withdrawal process, triggered by Trump's notification, proved difficult to untangle. The Biden administration's focus shifted to bolstering domestic public health infrastructure while continuing to engage with the WHO informally, but without the full benefits of membership - voting rights, access to sensitive data, and the ability to directly influence policy.

Five years on, the consequences of the US absence are multifaceted. Funding for vital WHO programs has suffered considerably. The US was historically the WHO's largest single donor, contributing significantly to initiatives combating diseases like polio, malaria, and HIV/AIDS, as well as providing crucial support for pandemic preparedness. While other nations - notably the European Union, China, and philanthropic organizations - have stepped up to fill some of the funding gap, the void left by the US has not been fully bridged. This has led to scaling back of programs, delays in crucial research, and reduced capacity to respond to outbreaks in vulnerable regions.

Perhaps the most concerning impact has been on pandemic preparedness. The COVID-19 pandemic exposed critical weaknesses in the global health security architecture. The US withdrawal severely hampered the WHO's ability to coordinate a unified international response to emerging threats. The lack of US expertise, logistical support, and early warning systems diminished the effectiveness of surveillance networks and slowed down the development and distribution of vaccines and treatments.

The emergence of a novel influenza strain in Southeast Asia in late 2024, and the subsequent slower-than-ideal global response, is often cited as a direct consequence of the weakened WHO. While not as devastating as COVID-19, the 2024 outbreak highlighted the fragility of the global health system and the critical need for robust international cooperation. Critics point to the delays in genomic sequencing and the uneven distribution of antiviral medications as prime examples of what could have been avoided with a fully functioning and adequately funded WHO.

Furthermore, the US withdrawal has had a broader geopolitical impact. China has significantly increased its influence within the WHO, filling the power vacuum left by the US. This has led to concerns among some Western nations about the organization's potential alignment with Chinese interests. The shift in power dynamics has fueled distrust and hampered efforts to build a truly multilateral approach to global health.

The debate continues regarding whether the US will ever rejoin the WHO. While there is growing bipartisan recognition of the need for international cooperation on health issues, significant political obstacles remain. Any potential re-entry would require addressing the concerns that initially led to the withdrawal, including issues of transparency, accountability, and responsiveness. It would also necessitate a commitment to restoring the US's financial contributions and regaining its leadership role within the organization. For now, the world continues to grapple with the long-term consequences of a fractured global health landscape, a landscape indelibly altered by the US's decision to walk away.