The United States has completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), according to a joint announcement on Thursday by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
In a statement, the two officials cited what they described as the WHO’s failures during the COVID-19 pandemic as the main reason for the decision, adding that all US funding to the agency has ceased and future engagement will be limited to finalising the withdrawal process.
UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed that the US is no longer participating in the WHO’s work, while WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organisation has already made budget cuts in response to the funding shortfall. (NewsWire)