Peter Yeo, President of the Better World Campaign, released the following statement in response to the Administration’s announcement that it will disengage from the World Health Organization:
For more than seven decades, the United States and the World Health Organization (WHO) have successfully worked to eradicate deadly infectious diseases, coordinate disease surveillance, respond to urgent health emergencies, and promote standards that protect and improve the lives and health of Americans and people around the globe.
Today’s announcement is a setback for our nation and for global health. We must be at the table where global health decisions are made. WHO is good for Americans, and American involvement with WHO is good for the world.
We must be at the table where global health decisions are made. WHO is good for Americans, and American involvement with WHO is good for the world.
In the past year, WHO has made the tough decisions America demanded. They slashed budgets and made bold operational reforms. WHO’s work covers the globe, yet their annualized budget is nearly five times smaller than the budget for the Cleveland Clinic.
WHO has spent decades building an unparalleled disease detection network in all corners of the world. There is no organization in the world with their breadth and depth of knowledge.
There is no organization in the world with the breadth and depth of knowledge of WHO.
We urge the Administration to engage constructively with WHO – including by maintaining technical communication channels and by continuing to work through WHO networks, working groups and task forces to combat infectious diseases that threaten our nation.
Continued engagement will be particularly important in the coming year as WHO elects a new Director-General. Collaboration between the U.S. and WHO will lead to a safer country and a healthier world.
We urge the Administration to engage constructively with WHO.
Media Contact: Kathryn Kross | kkross@unfoundation.org | 202-887-9040 ext 8577
