United States Completes Withdrawal from World Health Organization

By Cliff Potts, CSO, and Editor-in-Chief of WPS News

Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — January 28, 2026

The United States has formally completed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), ending nearly eight decades of participation in the world’s primary multilateral public health institution. The decision follows a notification process initiated by the U.S. government and finalized in January 2026, formally severing U.S. membership, funding obligations, and institutional participation.

Under the withdrawal, the United States terminated financial contributions, personnel secondments, and formal involvement in WHO governance and coordination mechanisms. U.S. officials framed the move as a sovereignty and accountability measure, arguing that future global health cooperation would be conducted through bilateral agreements and alternative frameworks rather than multilateral institutions.

International reaction was immediate. WHO leadership publicly expressed regret over the decision, warning that the departure of the organization’s largest historical funder weakens global disease surveillance, emergency coordination, and pandemic preparedness. Public health experts noted that WHO systems rely on scale, standardized reporting, and trust among member states—elements that are difficult to replicate through fragmented bilateral arrangements.

For the Philippines and the wider Indo-Pacific region, the implications are practical rather than ideological. WHO regional offices play a central role in coordinating responses to dengue, tuberculosis, polio eradication efforts, and emerging zoonotic diseases. Reduced multilateral capacity risks slower data sharing, delayed outbreak detection, and uneven access to technical assistance during health emergencies.

Analysis

The U.S. withdrawal reflects a broader retreat from multilateral governance in favor of unilateral or ad-hoc engagement. While bilateral health partnerships may continue, they lack the global integration necessary for early warning systems and coordinated response during transnational outbreaks.

From a Philippines-first perspective, infectious disease threats do not respect national borders. Climate stress, labor mobility, and dense urban populations increase regional vulnerability, making strong multilateral coordination a practical necessity rather than a diplomatic preference. The absence of U.S. participation also opens space for other powers to shape global health norms, data standards, and funding priorities in the Indo-Pacific.

The long-term result is likely a more fragmented global health architecture—one with fewer predictable mechanisms for collective action and higher risk during future pandemics.

References (APA)
Associated Press. (2026, January 22). U.S. completes withdrawal from the World Health Organization.

Reuters. (2026, January 24). WHO says it regrets U.S. decision to withdraw.

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2026, January 22). Fact sheet: U.S. withdrawal from the World Health Organization.

World Health Organization. (2025). About WHO. https://www.who.int