BUENOS AIRES — Argentina’s president has ordered the nation’s withdrawal from the World Well being Group resulting from “profound variations” with the U.N. company, a presidential spokesperson mentioned Wednesday.
President Javier Milei’s choice echoes that of his ally, U.S. President Donald Trump, who started the method of pulling the USA out of WHO with an government order on his first day again in workplace on Jan. 21.
The lack of one other member nation will additional fracture cooperation in international well being, although Argentina was anticipated to offer solely about $8 million to WHO for the company’s estimated $6.9 billion 2024-2025 funds.
Argentina’s choice is predicated on “profound variations in well being administration, particularly throughout the (COVID-19) pandemic,” spokesperson Manuel Adorni instructed a information convention in Buenos Aires. He mentioned WHO pointers on the time led to the biggest shutdown “within the historical past of mankind.”
Argentina is not going to enable a world group to intervene in its sovereignty “and far much less in our well being,” he added.
WHO has no authority to compel nations to take particular well being actions, and the group’s pointers and proposals, together with in well being crises like COVID-19, are sometimes disregarded.
WHO mentioned it was wanting into Argentina’s announcement.
Adorni didn’t say when Milei’s choice can be applied. He additionally asserted that WHO lacks independence due to the political affect of some nations, with out naming any.
WHO is the one group mandated to coordinate international responses to acute well being crises, significantly outbreaks of latest illnesses and protracted threats together with Ebola, AIDS and mpox.
Milei was a pointy critic of the lockdown imposed by former President Alberto Fernandez throughout the pandemic, asserting that it damage the financial system and that the federal government used it as a mechanism of “repression.”
“LONG LIVE FREEDOM,” Milei mentioned Wednesday in a publish on X criticizing the U.N. company.
Argentina doesn’t obtain WHO funding for well being administration, and the president’s choice would not have an effect on the standard of well being providers, Adorni mentioned.
“Quite the opposite, it provides better flexibility to implement insurance policies adopted to the context of pursuits that Argentina requires,” he added.
Final yr, Milei’s authorities refused to signal an settlement to handle pandemics throughout the WHO framework, on the grounds that doing so might have an effect on nationwide sovereignty.
The announcement on the WHO comes forward of Milei’s journey to the U.S. later this month that may coincide with the Conservative Political Motion Convention summit of right-wing leaders in Washington. The spokesperson has not confirmed that Milei will attend or that he would possibly meet Trump.
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Related Press author Maria Cheng in London contributed.
