Argentina has announced it will withdraw from the World Health Organization, a decision that follows the move made by United States President, Donald Trump, just a month prior.
During a press briefing on Wednesday, presidential spokesperson Manuel Adorni revealed, “President (Javier) Milei instructed (foreign minister) Gerardo Werthein to withdraw Argentina’s participation in the World Health Organization.”
He further stated, “We Argentinians will not allow an international organization to intervene in our sovereignty, much less in our health.”
Milei, who aligns ideologically with Trump, echoed the US President’s stance on the matter.
Trump had declared on his first day back in the White House in January that the US would exit the WHO, a decision that faced backlash from public health experts.
Adorni explained that Argentina’s withdrawal stems from “profound differences regarding… health management, especially during the pandemic that… led us to the longest lockdown in human history and a lack of independence in the face of the political influence of some states.”
In a statement from Argentina’s presidential office, the country accused the WHO of causing significant economic harm during the COVID-19 pandemic by promoting “endless quarantines.”
The statement added, “It is urgent to rethink from the international community why supranational organizations exist, funded by all, that do not meet the objectives for which they were created, engage in international politics, and seek to impose themselves above member countries.”
Trump, in his own executive order on January 20, similarly criticized the WHO, citing its mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic that originated in Wuhan, China, and other global health crises.
He also highlighted the organization’s failure to implement necessary reforms and its lack of independence from political pressures from member states as justifications for the US withdrawal.
WHO’s Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, expressed his regret over the US decision to leave, stating that the US, as a contributor to the organization, also benefits from its work.
In Argentina’s case, Adorni clarified that the country does not receive funding from the WHO for its health management, making the withdrawal unlikely to impact Argentina’s health services or funding.
“Therefore, this measure… does not represent a loss of funds for the country nor does it affect the quality of services,” he remarked.
Argentina views the move as a step toward a “greater availability of resources” and flexibility in implementing policies tailored to the country’s interests.
“It reaffirms our path towards a country with sovereignty also in health matters,” Adorni emphasized.
Founded in 1948, the WHO was established with the aim of safeguarding global health. Its founding constitution, signed by all UN members, warned of the dangers posed by “unequal development” in the health systems of different nations.
Today, the WHO operates in over 150 locations worldwide, leading efforts to expand universal health coverage and coordinating responses to health emergencies, such as yellow fever, cholera, and Ebola.
