Trump initiates US withdrawal from World Health Organization

On January 20, President Donald Trump announced the start of the process to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO). This decision follows years of criticism of the WHO's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and its funding structure. The U.S. has been a major financial contributor to the WHO, providing about 18% of its funding. The withdrawal will end U.S. financial support and limit access to critical global health data, potentially impacting American healthcare and disease response efforts. The move raises concerns about the future of various health programs, including those addressing tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. U.S. health agencies will lose influence in global health decisions and may face challenges in managing health emergencies without WHO support.