Argentina has announced that it will be leaving the World Health Organization, following the lead of its key ally, the United States. The decision, made by Argentina’s President Javier Milei, marks a significant shift in the country's approach to international health cooperation.
The Argentine government cited "deep differences" with the WHO, particularly over its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. These concerns mirror those raised by US President Donald Trump when he first took office, prompting his own country's exit from the organization. According to presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni, the lengthy lockdowns that led to the "longest confinement in human history" and the WHO's perceived political bias were central to Argentina's decision.
This move aligns with the reasons Trump gave for his withdrawal from the WHO back in 2020. Both countries argue that the organization’s management of the pandemic was flawed, and they believe that their financial contributions to the WHO were unfairly high compared to the benefits they received. In fact, the US pays a larger share of the WHO’s budget due to its wealth, contributing roughly 4% of the WHO’s global health funds. Yet, this amount represents less than 0.1% of the entire US federal budget, a sum that some critics have called disproportionately high.
With Argentina's exit, questions are now being raised about whether other countries, particularly those with pro-Trump leadership like Chile and El Salvador, will follow suit. The timing of these withdrawals hints at a growing divide within global health diplomacy, with nations questioning the effectiveness and fairness of the WHO's policies.
While the US’s exit from the WHO received significant international attention, Argentina’s decision signals that this move could be part of a wider pattern. The WHO's role in managing global health crises is undeniably crucial, especially in preventing and treating diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, and HIV in poorer countries. But with a budget of about $3.4 billion, the WHO’s funding is dwarfed by that of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which received $9.3 billion in funding in 2023 alone.
As the dust settles on these high-profile withdrawals, many are left wondering whether this trend will catch on with other countries, and what it could mean for future global health cooperation.
