The US will still be a WHO member under President Joe Biden's administration, according to Dr. Anthony Fauci.
In a letter to His Excellency Mr. António Guterres, Secretary-General of the United Nations, Biden wrote:
“This letter constitutes a retraction by the Government of the United States of the letter dated July 6, 2020, notifying you that the Government of the United States intended to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO), effective July 6, 2021. The United States intends to remain a member of the World Health Organization. The WHO plays a crucial role in the world’s fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic as well as countless other threats to global health and health security. The United States will continue to be a full participant and a global leader in confronting such threats and advancing global health and health security.”
The new leadership also plans to be a part of a global alliance that aims to distribute coronavirus vaccines to low-income countries.
Dr. Fauci told the WHO’s executive board through a videoconference that US intends to remain a WHO member. “President Biden will issue a directive later today which will include the intent of the United States to join COVAX and support the ACT-Accelerator to advance multilateral efforts for Covid-19 vaccine, therapeutic, and diagnostic distribution, equitable access, and research and development," the health advisor said.
Additionally, the US will “fulfill its financial obligations,” Dr. Fauci said. Former president Donald Trump announced in May last year that the US would no longer be a WHO member, but the process was not expected to be granted until this July.
Dr. Fauci explained that the Biden administration will coordinate with the other 193 member states to help “strengthen and reform” the United Nations health agency.
“This is a good day for WHO and a good day for global health,” said the agency’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
“We are all glad that the United States of America is staying with the family,” Tedros said via Twitter.
Meanwhile, WHO delegates “warmly welcomed” the decision, with many expressing their appreciation that the Biden administration would now rejoin the international organization amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Dr. Fauci mentioned that the US would support the “ACT Accelerator” — an umbrella effort including COVAX that also aims to deliver diagnostic tools and therapeutics for the coronavirus to countries worldwide.
America’s top infectious disease expert mentioned that his announcement came one year after the US reported its first case of the coronavirus.
There are over 96.9 million coronavirus cases worldwide and 2.07 million deaths, according to data gathered by Johns Hopkins University. The US has posted the highest number of Covid infections and deaths.
Dr. Fauci accepted Biden’s offer to perform a role in his administration--as chief medical advisor. He is overseeing a US delegation at the WHO’s annual meetings throughout the week.
Trump had repeatedly slammed the WHO for being too “China-centric,” and the amount of contributions given by the US to the health agency in comparison to other countries.
The US was the biggest single donor to WHO in 2019. Reports show that the country contributed more than $400 million, which is around 15% of the WHO’s budget.
