The United States has made a sudden decision to halt all collaborations with the World Health Organization (WHO), as directed by U.S. public health officials. This move comes as a surprise and is expected to hamper efforts in investigating and preventing outbreaks of diseases such as the Marburg virus and mpox in Africa. It also poses a challenge in monitoring potential threats like bird flu outbreaks among U.S. livestock.
The directive was communicated through a memo from John Nkengasong, a U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official, to senior leaders at the agency. The memo instructed all CDC staff working with the WHO to cease their collaborations immediately and await further guidance. This policy applies to all forms of engagement, including technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, and cooperative agreements, whether in person or virtual. Additionally, CDC staff are prohibited from visiting WHO offices.
President Trump recently issued an executive order to initiate the process of withdrawing the U.S. from the WHO. However, this decision does not take immediate effect and requires approval from Congress, meeting financial obligations for the current fiscal year, and providing a one-year notice.
In addition to halting collaborations with the WHO, federal health agencies have been instructed to suspend most communications with the public until the end of the month. This abrupt stoppage has raised concerns among public health experts, who emphasize the importance of two-way communication with the WHO to exchange expertise and information on new tests, treatments, and emerging outbreaks.
Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a public health expert at the University of Southern California, expressed surprise at the sudden halt in communications with the WHO, noting that it caught many off guard. He highlighted the mutual benefits of collaboration between WHO and U.S. health officials in protecting Americans both domestically and abroad.
While a WHO spokesperson referred questions about the withdrawal to U.S. officials, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The decision to cease collaborations with the WHO has raised concerns about the impact on global health efforts and the exchange of vital information to combat infectious diseases.
