WHO makes cutbacks after Trump’s executive order to leave organization

Jan 24

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Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Producer), Jack Henry (Video Editor)

The World Health Organization (WHO) said it’s already making cutbacks following President Donald Trump’s executive order directing the United States, the WHO’s largest donor, to withdraw from the group. AFP news agency obtained an email from the organization’s chief sent to staff Friday, Jan. 2, stating Trump’s decision impacts its financial situation and creates uncertainty for the WHO workforce.

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According to the organization, the U.S. withdrawal will take a year to complete, with funding from the U.S. remaining in place until that point.

But despite that, a WHO spokesperson told AFP the organization is already freezing recruitment in less critical areas and cutting back on travel.

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The WHO also said it was open to constructive dialogue with the U.S. in hopes Trump would reconsider.

Why did Trump decide to leave WHO?

The White House said in a statement Monday, Jan. 20, that the U.S.’s decision to withdraw from the WHO is a result of “the organization’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that arose out of Wuhan, China, and other global health crises, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states.”

Where does the WHO go from here?

The WHO also told AFP that Trump’s decision will impact the critical information it shares with the U.S., noting the bird flu outbreak, which has infected dozens of people and has killed one person in the U.S.

The WHO said for now, it’s working to expand its funding base and continues to rely on support from its member states.

In its 2022-23 budget, the U.S. pitched in $1.3 billion, which is about 16% of the WHO’s total budget.

Tags: Bird Flu, budget, China, COVID origins, COVID-19, Donald Trump, Executive Order, World Health Organization

[Karah Rucker]

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAYS ITS ALREADY MAKING CUTBACKS … FOLLOWING PRESIDENT TRUMP’S EXECUTIVE ORDER … DIRECTING THE UNITED STATES – THE W-H-O’S LARGEST DONOR – TO WITHDRAW FROM THE GROUP.

A-F-P NEWS AGENCY OBTAINED AN EMAIL FROM THE ORGANIZATION’S CHIEF SENT TO STAFF FRIDAY … STATING TRUMP’S DECISION IMPACTS ITS FINANCIAL SITUATION AND CREATES UNCERTAINTY FOR THE W-H-O WORKFORCE.

ACCORDING TO THE ORGANIZATION, THE U-S WITHDRAWAL WILL TAKE A YEAR TO COMPLETE WITH FUNDING FROM THE U-S REMAINING IN PLACE UNTIL THEN …

BUT DESPITE THAT … A W-H-O SPOKESPERSON TOLD A-F-P THE ORGANIZATION IS ALREADY FREEZING RECRUITMENT IN LESS CRITICAL AREAS AND CUTTING BACK ON TRAVEL.

THE W-H-O ALSO SAYS ITS OPEN TO CONSTRUCTIVE DIALOG WITH THE U-S IN HOPES TRUMP WOULD RECONSIDER.

THE WHITE HOUSE SAID IN A STATEMENT MONDAY … THE US’S DECISION TO WITHDRAW FROM THE W-H-O IS A RESULT OF QUOTE – “THE ORGANIZATION’S MISHANDLING OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC THAT AROSE OUT OF WUHAN, CHINA, AND OTHER GLOBAL HEALTH CRISES, ITS FAILURE TO ADOPT URGENTLY NEEDED REFORMS, AND ITS INABILITY TO DEMONSTRATE INDEPENDENCE FROM THE INAPPROPRIATE POLITICAL INFLUENCE OF WHO MEMBER STATES.”

THE W-H-O ALSO TOLD A-F-P THAT TRUMP’S DECISION WILL IMPACT THE CRITICAL INFORMATION IT SHARES WITH THE U-S NOTING THE BIRD FLU OUTBREAK, WHICH HAS INFECTED DOZENS OF PEOPLE KILLING ONE PERSON IN THE U-S.

THE W-H-O SAYS FOR NOW ITS WORKING TO EXPAND ITS FUNDING BASE AND CONTINUE TO RELY ON SUPPORT FROM ITS MEMBER STATES.

IN ITS 2022-23 BUDGET, THE UNITED STATES PITCHED IN ONE-POINT-THREE BILLION DOLLARS, WHICH IS ABOUT 16 PERCENT OF THE W-H-O’S BUDGET.

FOR SAN I’M … KARAH RUCKER.

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