US withdrawal from WHO sparks global health alarm

World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. [AFP]

The withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) is a major blow to Kenya and global health systems, experts have warned. 

They have cautioned that the move could weaken disease surveillance, disrupt critical programmes, and strain already overstretched health systems. The decision is expected to have far-reaching consequences for global health agencies at a time when donor funding is declining, with countries grappling with multiple public health threats.

Announcing the withdrawal, US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Secretary of State Marco Rubio attributed the move to WHO’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. The US accused the organisation of favouring China during the outbreak and alleged that disinformation from Beijing contributed to the global spread of the respiratory disease.

Prior to the official withdrawal on Friday, former President Donald Trump had threatened to pull the US out of WHO in January 2025 by signing an executive order that initiated the withdrawal process. 

The directive halted US funding to WHO, withdrew American personnel from the organisation, and shifted activities previously conducted through WHO into direct bilateral engagements with other countries. This was despite the US being the single largest contributor to WHO’s budget.

In a statement, the US Department of Health and Human Services said that following its exit, the United States would engage with WHO only in a limited manner to facilitate the withdrawal process. 

However, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus distanced the organisation from the US allegations, warning that the move would undermine global health security and leave both the US and the rest of the world more vulnerable to health emergencies. “The withdrawal is a loss for the United States and for the world. It makes the US less safe and the rest of the world less safe. It is not the right decision,” Tedros said during a press briefing in Geneva.

He emphasised that WHO plays a central role in global efforts to eliminate HIV/Aids, reduce maternal mortality, eradicate polio, and respond to disease outbreaks. The organisation works worldwide to promote health, protect vulnerable populations, expand universal health coverage, safeguard against health emergencies, and support research and approval of medicines and medical commodities. 

The Executive Director of the Kenya Legal and Ethical Issues Network on HIV and AIDS (Kelin), Allan Maleche, warned that the US withdrawal would have implications for both global and national health programmes. 

Kenya is among the countries that receive significant support in running its health activities in line with WHO guidelines, including HIV, TB, maternal health, and research programmes.

Maleche explained that the move signals a shift by the US towards bilateral engagements with countries, bypassing globally coordinated systems established by WHO, such as disease surveillance and data-sharing mechanisms. Kenya has signed a $2.5 billion government-to-government agreement with the US. 

“This undermines globally agreed systems. Instead of shared standards, we risk fragmented arrangements driven by individual interests,” Maleche said.

While other global players, including China, may attempt to fill the funding gap, he said it is unrealistic to expect any single country to replace the scale of US support. “Those who step in may also pursue health or security agreements that favour their own interests.”

Maleche added that the US is likely to engage Kenya directly through government-to-government arrangements, citing recently signed bilateral funding agreements.

While experts have urged the US to reconsider, he said the superpower appears unyielding. “The US has strong domestic capacity to run its own health systems, hosts the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, and has the ability to manufacture, market, and conduct health research independently,” he noted. Despite this, Maleche acknowledged that US support has been critical in strengthening Kenya’s health sector and Africa’s broader health infrastructure, particularly in the fight against HIV, TB, and malaria.

The support is largely channelled through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (Pepfa) and the Global Fund. “Pepfar and Global Fund initiatives provide more than 60 per cent of funding for HIV, TB, and malaria,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Secretary-General of the Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists Union (KMPDU), Dr Dennis Miskellah, criticised the withdrawal as “disappointing and short-sighted”. “The world is a global village. Today an outbreak may be in Nairobi, tomorrow in America. If a Kenyan is not safe, Americans are not safe either. By protecting the world, America protects itself,” he said.