MOSCOW, March 4. /TASS/. The World Health Organization (WHO) expects that the US will re-evaluate its withdrawal decision, Batyr Berdyklychev, head of the WHO Office in Russia, said in an exclusive comment to TASS.
On January 21, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order on the country’s withdrawal from the WHO, saying that Washington’s contribution to the organization was much higher than that of other countries.
"We actually regret this decision by the United States because it’s not only about funding but also about scientific and technical cooperation. In this regard, we hope the US will reconsider its decision after all because we don’t see who has benefited from it," the WHO official pointed out.
He noted that the US had played a significant role in the organization, while Washington's share of its funding stood at about 20%. However, in Berdyklychev’s words, the WHO currently brings together 194 nations and continues to operate even without that share of funding. Berdyklychev stressed that all member states saw the need for the organization to continue its work as it was a platform coordinating and joining efforts in the field of global healthcare.
"That said, it’s certainly not quite right to say that the World Health Organization will cease to exist after one of its members pulled out, even such an important one. The WHO will continue to operate, only its funding will be limited," he explained.
Still, the head of the WHO Office in Russia admitted that Washington’s withdrawal would have a negative impact on a number of programs, which had always been funded by the US. "This is primarily about the fight against tuberculosis and HIV, efforts to eliminate polio, as well as programs on maternal and child health and emergency response. Unfortunately, the communities and countries that need such help the most will be the ones affected by funding cuts," Berdyklychev concluded.