State of the Pandemic, Nature, World Health Organization, Economy, Policy, China, United States
development

Organisations. Nature, World Health Organization WHO
Period. 30 May - 10 June 2020

The decision by President Trump to “terminate” relations with the WHO over accusations of undue influence by China on the agency was widely condemned, within the U.S. and globally. It remains uncertain if and how this would happen, but experts worry it may exacerbate global health challenges. The President’s suggestion to redirect intended resources (about US$450 million last year, accounting for 15% of the WHO budget) through bilateral development channels could lead to greater incoherence and inefficiency, according to Rebecca Katz (Georgetown University). A Nature article outlines a range of other possible repercussions, from the resurgence of polio and malaria to barriers in the flow of information on COVID-19. As Dr Kelly Lee (Simon Frasier University) warns, the damage to scientific partnerships would also extend to waning U.S. influence in global health initiatives, including ongoing drug and vaccine development and distribution.

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