United States: Staff operating at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received instructions from authorities to halt communication with the World Health Organization following President Donald Trump’s withdrawal decision of support for the health organization, as reported by HealthDay.
Executive Order and CDC Memo
Dr. John Nkengasong delivered the late Sunday memo through his role as CDC deputy director of global health.
“Effective immediately, all CDC staff engaging with WHO through technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, cooperative agreements or other means – in person or virtual – must cease their activity and await further guidance,” the memo states.
Trump’s executive order from Jan. 20 permits immediate US withdrawal because the country provided notice during his first term back in 2020. Reuters announced that according to federal laws, an action takes at least twelve months to activate after providing formal notice.
CDC Ordered to End Collaboration with WHO as US Withdrawal Looms!
— The Asian Chronicle (@AsianChronicle) January 28, 2025
U.S. President Donald Trump issued an executive order last week to start the process of withdrawing the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO).
However, this decision does not take effect… pic.twitter.com/SHHvv8DZy0
CNN submitted requests for comment to The White House, CDC, WHO and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services but received no responses.
Experts at an international level protect health systems because dangerous ailments like bird flu spread during these outbreaks.
Experts believe that breaking ties with WHO will create substantial dangers for global public health systems.
Global Health Experts Express Concerns
“This move is reckless, basically ordering CDC not to work with WHO to put out fires is going to make Americans far more vulnerable,” Dr. Lawrence Gostin, a global health expert at Georgetown University who runs a WHO coordinating center on national and global health law, told CNN.
Through its international network, the CDC operates monitoring stations in over sixty global locations to investigate infectious disease developments.
CNN reports that Gostin expressed that when Trump aims to negotiate superior conditions with WHO, he should use alternative methods, as reported by HealthDay.
The Need for Continued Collaboration
“President Trump is asking CDC to hit the pause button. But the truth is that viruses don’t take a break from circulating while the White House figures out its next move,” he told CNN. “If you want to figure out what your future relationship is with WHO, you stay in the fight until you figure it out, and then you make your move. You don’t just quit the battle while you’re trying to figure something out because the enemy – which is the virus – is still circulating and causing mayhem.”
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