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DC Ordered to Halt WHO Collaboration Following U.S. Withdrawal Directive

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has been directed to cease all communication with the World Health Organization (WHO), following President Donald Trump’s executive order formalizing the country’s withdrawal from the global health agency.


The directive was issued in a memo sent late Sunday by Dr. John Nkengasong, the CDC’s Deputy Director of Global Health.

“Effective immediately, all CDC staff engaging with WHO through technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, cooperative agreements, or other means—whether in-person or virtual—must cease their activity and await further guidance,” the memo stated.

This decision follows Trump’s January 20 executive order, which affirms that the U.S. had given notice of withdrawal during his first term in 2020. While federal law typically requires a one-year notice before such withdrawal takes effect, the administration is now proceeding with an immediate disengagement, CNN reported.

Neither the White House, CDC, WHO, nor the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) have responded to requests for comment.

Health Experts Raise Concerns Over Global Impact

The move comes as the world battles infectious disease outbreaks, including avian influenza (bird flu), raising concerns among health experts about the consequences of severing ties with WHO.

Dr. Lawrence Gostin, a global health expert at Georgetown University and head of a WHO coordinating center on national and global health law, criticized the decision as "reckless."

“Ordering the CDC not to work with WHO to put out fires is going to make Americans far more vulnerable,” Gostin told CNN.

With CDC maintaining offices in over 60 countries to monitor disease outbreaks, experts argue that cutting off collaboration with WHO could hinder global efforts to contain emerging health threats.

Gostin suggested that if Trump aims to renegotiate U.S. engagement with WHO, there are more effective approaches than a sudden disengagement.

“Viruses don’t take a break from circulating while the White House figures out its next move,” he said. “If you want to redefine your relationship with WHO, you stay in the fight until you figure it out—you don’t just quit, because the enemy, which is the virus, is still circulating and causing mayhem.”

The decision marks a significant shift in U.S. global health policy, with potential ramifications for international disease control efforts and the country’s role in global health governance.


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