Staff Reports
As the United States finally takes decisive action to sever ties with the World Health Organization (WHO), one can’t help but muse over the series of blunders that led us here. It seems that the WHO’s tangled relationship with China played no small part in America’s decision to walk away. For an organization named the World Health Organization, one might assume it should operate with global health as its priority, but sadly, this hasn’t always been the case. Instead, the WHO has often appeared to be a mere extension of China’s strategic interests, from murky responses to COVID-19 to pushing questionable health policies around the world.
From the onset of the pandemic, the WHO seemed to parrot whatever China had to say, leading to massive global confusion. There was absolute chaos because China, along with its longtime companion the WHO, appeared to help the virus spread rather than stop it at the gates. One might wonder if the WHO was more adept at covering the tracks than actually putting out any fires. Clearly, as the co-founder and a significant financial contributor to the WHO, China knows how to pull the strings. The cozy relationship paid off for them as the WHO seemingly danced to their tune throughout the crisis.
Incompetence, willful ignorance, or both – the WHO can pick their poison. The organization failed during the pandemic, and there’s no sugarcoating it. The humbled organization seemed to lack the prowess to serve its fundamental purpose: ensuring world health. The U.S. withdrawal was announced a year ago under President Trump, but of course, bureaucratic hurdles delayed its execution. Now that it’s officially over, America has the chance to pivot toward bilateral partnerships, building genuine cooperative connections without the meddling influence of a seemingly inept organization.
There are critics out there, as one might expect, who claim that America’s departure is “penny-wise and billion-dollar foolish.” These critics wag their fingers, suggesting that the U.S. is now missing out on a treasure trove of knowledge and shared information. But isn’t it just a touch comical that they assume there’s value to be found in mediocrity? If competence defined the WHO’s track record, maybe their argument would hold water – but it doesn’t. Pushing lockdowns which left many countries reeling and their economies gasping for air isn’t exactly a success story.
As it stands, the U.S. is wise to step away from the WHO’s political mess and focus on creating a network of concrete partnerships committed to genuine health interests. The Trump administration was already working on these backdoor connections, and there’s hope that they are more fruitful than the promises the WHO failed to keep. Maybe losing the WHO will be the slap on the wrist it needs to re-evaluate its purpose. Meanwhile, America will be busy aligning itself with countries worldwide, on brighter objectives that don’t come with strings attached.
