The statement, released on Saturday, also includes a rebuttal of the US administration’s reasoning in support of these measures. In response to the government’s statements that the WHO has “trashed, tarnished”, insulted and compromised its independence, the agency notes that “the opposite is true” and that WHO has always sought to “engage in good faith with the United States, with full respect for its sovereignty.”
The US administration’s accusation that the WHO “pursued a politicized and bureaucratic agenda run by nations hostile to US interests” is refuted and described as false. The agency, the statement said, “has always been and remains impartial and exists to serve all countries, with respect for their sovereignty, and without fear or favor.”
Defense of the COVID-19 response
A significant portion of the statement is devoted to defending the WHO against US accusations of “failures” during the COVID-19 pandemic: according to the administration, the WHO obstructed the “timely and accurate sharing of critical information” and “covered up these failures.”
The agency counters that throughout the pandemic it has acted quickly, shared all the information it had quickly and transparently with the world, and advised member states based on the best available evidence.
The WHO has recommended the use of masks, vaccines and physical distancing, but has at no time recommended the obligation to wear a mask, vaccinate or self-isolate.
Immediately after receiving the first reports of a cluster of cases of “pneumonia of unknown cause” in Wuhan, China, on December 31, 2019, the WHO requested more information from China and activated its emergency incident management system.
By the time the first death was reported in China on January 11, 2020, WHO had already alerted the world through official channels, public statements and social media, convened global experts, and issued comprehensive guidance to countries on how to protect their populations and health systems.
When the WHO Director-General declared COVID-19 a public health emergency of international concern under the International Health Regulations on January 30, 2020 – the highest level of alarm under international health law – outside of China, fewer than 100 cases were reported, and no deaths were reported.
In the early weeks and months of the pandemic, the Director-General repeatedly urged all countries to take immediate action to protect their populations, warning that “the window of opportunity is closing,” “this is not an exercise,” and calling COVID-19 “public enemy number one.”
In response to multiple assessments of the COVID-19 pandemic, including of WHO’s performance, WHO has taken steps to strengthen its own work and to support countries in strengthening their own pandemic preparedness and response capacities. The systems developed and managed by WHO before, during and after the emergency phase of the pandemic helped keep all countries, including the United States, safe.
Door open to return to the United States
Despite the withdrawal notice, WHO remains committed to global cooperation and expresses hope that the United States will engage again in the future. The agency highlights recent steps, including the adoption of the WHO Pandemic Accord, described as “a historic instrument of international law” aimed at preventing and responding to future pandemics.
As a founding member of the WHO, the United States of America has contributed significantly to many of the agency’s greatest achievements, including the eradication of smallpox and progress against many other public health threats, including polio, HIV, Ebola, influenza, tuberculosis, malaria, neglected tropical diseases, antimicrobial resistance, food safety and more.
“WHO remains firmly committed to working with all countries in pursuit of its core mission,” the statement concludes, reaffirming its mandate to promote “the highest attainable standard of health as a fundamental right for all.”
