By: Priyanka Saurabh

The U.S. withdrawal of funds to World Health Organisation (WHO) has strained the Organization’s finances. The U.S. was the largest donor to the World Health Organization’s budget, accounting for 13% of voluntary contributions and 22.5% of assessed contributions in 2023. The sudden stop of funding created a huge resource gap, threatening critical health initiatives, especially in low- and middle-income countries. The U.S. played a key role in contributing scientific knowledge to World Health Organization committees through organizations such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The withdrawal severed partnerships essential to global surveillance and pandemic preparedness. U.S. efforts to create a single worldwide framework for pandemic preparedness, fair vaccine distribution, and response coordination were hampered by its decision to exit the World Health Organization-led pandemic treaty negotiations. Because the withdrawal put national interests ahead of international solidarity, it undermined multilateralism.

Other countries may do the same, undermining trust in global organizations such as the World Health Organization. The first impact on global health governance is a shift in the balance of power. The US exit gave China and the global South an opportunity to fill the gap.

As China expanded its resources and influence, countries like........

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