Argentina Confirms Departure from World Health Organization
Argentina Withdraws from the World Health Organization Amid Criticism
During a visit by U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Buenos Aires, the Argentine government officially ratified its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO). The decision follows a shared stance between President Javier Milei and Kennedy, both political outsiders skeptical of the WHO's pandemic response measures.
In a joint statement, the Argentine government criticized the WHO for its politicized and ineffective handling of the COVID-19 crisis, citing compromised scientific integrity and inefficacy due to political interference and bureaucratic inertia. They aim for a new global health framework that emphasizes science, freedom, and national sovereignty.
Despite the withdrawal, Argentina and the U.S. aim to strengthen cooperation in health policy. Argentine Health Minister Mario Lugones and Kennedy met to discuss a joint agenda that focuses on transparency and trust in the healthcare system. Both governments share a vision for global health that values autonomy and scientific freedom.
President Trump had previously ordered the U.S.'s withdrawal from the WHO in January, a move that Argentina followed suit with in February. Both governments have sharply criticized the WHO, particularly its handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, labeling the organization's lockdown measures as excessively restrictive. In a video message at the adoption of a global pandemic agreement last Tuesday in Geneva, Kennedy called on WHO member states to withdraw.
Kennedy, a renowned environmental lawyer, has gained attention for promoting conspiracy theories and discredited theories linking childhood vaccinations to autism. In April, he commissioned a study on this topic. The full impact of the U.S.-Argentina withdrawal from the WHO on health policy cooperation remains unclear, with concerns arising about access to critical resources and international collaboration traditionally facilitated through WHO membership.
- The Commission, in response to Argentina's withdrawal from the WHO, might be urged to submit a proposal for a directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to ionizing radiation, given the importance of health-and-wellness and science in shaping policy-and-legislation and general-news.
- As Argentina and the U.S. strive to strengthen cooperation in health policy, they might also consider the implications of political decisions on the protection of workers exposed to ionizing radiation, a concern that underscores the importance of maintaining a balance between science, health, and national sovereignty.
- The ongoing debate about the withdrawal from the WHO raises questions about the future of international collaboration in crucial areas such as the protection of workers from exposure to ionizing radiation, highlighting the crucial role of policy-and-legislation, science, and health-and-wellness in shaping global politics.
