“THE WHO DOESN’T DESERVE OUR MONEY OR OUR MEMBERSHIP”
RANKING MEMBER COMER: THE WHO DOESN’T DESERVE OUR MONEY OR OUR MEMBERSHIP
July 8, 2020 Press Release
In response to the White House’s Tuesday announcement that President Trump had formally withdrawn the United States from the World Health Organization, House Oversight Committee Ranking Member James Comer issued the following statement in support of the action:
“Withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization was the right decision. China lied, the WHO complied, and Americans died. From the very start, the WHO and Secretary-General Tedros have proven that their priority has been to assist the Chinese government at the expense of the American people and the rest of the world. While China spread misinformation so it could hoard medical supplies, Tedros was praising them for their transparency. Now we also know that the WHO even lied to the world and this Committee about what China told them about the virus. Until the WHO undergoes some serious reforms, it doesn’t deserve our money or our membership.”
The main reason for the withdrawal according to the Trump administration is that the WHO is under the total control of China caved to pressure from China “to mislead the world when the virus was first discovered by Chinese authorities.”.
“On 6 July 2020, the United States of America notified the Secretary-General … of its withdrawal from the World Health Organization, effective on 6 July 2021,” wrote Stéphane Dujarric, a spokesman for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres, adding that the U.N. is checking with WHO to see if all the conditions for withdrawal have been met, to include one year notice and pay back fees, NPR reported.
The American Medical Association is one of many critics of the withdrawal:
The following statement is attributable to:
AAP President Sally Goza, MD
FAAP, AAFP President Gary L. LeRoy, M.D.
AMA President Susan R. Bailey, M.D.
ACP President, Jacqueline W. Fincher, MD, FACP
“The Trump administration’s official withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) puts the health of our country at grave risk. As leading medical organizations, representing hundreds of thousands of physicians, we join in strong opposition to this decision, which is a major setback to science, public health, and global coordination efforts needed to defeat COVID-19.
“The WHO plays a leading role in protecting, supporting, and promoting public health in the United States and around the world. The agency has been on the frontlines of every global child health challenge over the last seven decades, successfully eradicating smallpox, vaccinating billions against measles, and cutting preventable child deaths by more than half since 1990. Withdrawing from the WHO puts these investments at risk and leaves the United States without a seat at the table—at a time when our leadership is most desperately needed.
“As our nation and the rest of the world face a global health pandemic, a worldwide, coordinated response is more vital than ever. This dangerous withdrawal not only impacts the global response against COVID-19, but also undermines efforts to address other major public health threats. The American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Physicians and American Medical Association strongly oppose this short-sighted decision. We call on Congress to reject the Administration’s withdrawal from the WHO and make every effort to preserve the United States’ relationship with this valued global institution. Now is the time to invest in global health, rather than turn back.”