International relations expert Mr. Kwabena Agyei says the decision by United States President Donald Trump to withdraw the country from the World Health Organization, although not surprising, will have a negative impact.
He stated that the contribution of the US in terms of financial support for the WHO was enormous, and its withdrawal will have some level of impact.
He said joining the WHO was not compulsory, but the US contribution to the WHO over the years had been bigger than the other countries.
Speaking in Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, the US helped in shaping and governing WHO’s work as a founding member.
The analyst stated that it has contributed immensely to saving lives and contributing to the activities of the organisation in especially deprived countries.
“This will have a negative impact on the activities of WHO. The US contributes a lot of resources and logistics to the WHO, more than any other country, and so their withdrawal will have a negative impact. The second point is that the US is a superpower and a developed country, and so when they withdraw from such organisations affiliated with the United Nations, it is troubling.”
He was, however, quick to add that there are corporations and other individuals from the US who may continue to assist the WHO in achieving its objectives.
Background
United States President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the World Health Organisation.
He is accusing the WHO of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises.
Mr. Trump stated that the WHO failed to act independently from the “inappropriate political influence of WHO member states” and required “unfairly onerous payments” from the United States that are disproportionate to the sums provided by other larger countries, such as China.
“World Health ripped us off; everybody rips off the United States. It’s not going to happen anymore.”.
By this decision, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention would be denied access to the global data provided by the WHO.
Reaction from the WHO
The WHO reacted to the decision by the United States to withdraw from the organization.
The WHO, in its statement, said it regrets that the US ”intends” to withdraw.
It said the US was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and has participated in shaping and governing WHO’s work since it was formed.
The WHO said the US has, together with other countries, helped save countless lives and protected Americans and all people from health threats.
”With the participation of the United States and other member states, WHO has, over the past 7 years, implemented the largest set of reforms in history to transform our accountability, cost-effectiveness, and impact in countries. This work continues.”
The WHO says it hopes the US will reconsider and looks ”forward to engaging in constructive dialogue to maintain the partnership between the USA and WHO, for the benefit of the health and wellbeing of millions of people around the globe.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
