US to Cut Ties with WHO: STAT

The US president announced that the country will halt funding and withdraw from the World Health Organization. The US is the agency’s largest funder, providing about 15 percent of the budget. “The move has alarmed health experts, who say the decision will undermine efforts to improve the health of people around the world,” writes Andrew Joseph for STAT. “It’s not immediately clear whether the president can fully withdraw U.S. funding for the WHO without an act of Congress, which typically controls all federal government spending. Democratic lawmakers have argued that doing so would be illegal, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi threatened last month that such a move would be ‘swiftly challenged.’” Multiple health officials have said any review should occur after the pandemic is brought under control. China advised WHO on the new coronavirus in late December and a month later, the international agency declared a global emergency. Some nations responded swiftly, and the president’s criticism does not account for the United States having 33 percent of the world’s cases with 4 percent of the population. Analysts agree that Trump’s decision gives China greater influence over global health decisions. – YaleGlobal