The statement, released on Saturday, also contains a rebuttal of the US administration’s rationale for the measures. In response to the government’s claims that the WHO has “falsified and tainted” and insulted it and compromised its independence, the agency notes that “the reverse is true” and that The WHO has always sought to “engage with the United States in good faith, with full respect for its sovereignty.”
The accusation by the US administration that the WHO has “pursued a politicized, bureaucratic agenda driven by nations hostile to US interests” is countered and described as untrue. The agency, the statement reads, “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 part of the statement is dedicated to defending WHO against US accusations of “failure” during the COVID-19 pandemic: according to the administration, WHO prevented “timely and accurate sharing of critical information” and “concealed these failures”.
The agency counters this by noting that throughout the pandemic it acted quickly, shared all information it had quickly and transparently with the world and advised Member States based on the best available evidence.
The WHO recommended the use of masks, vaccines and physical distancing, but at no time recommended mask mandates, vaccine mandates or lockdowns.
Immediately after receiving the first reports of a cluster of cases of “pneumonia of unknown cause” in Wuhan, China on 31 December 2019, the WHO asked China for more information and activated its emergency management system.
When the first death was reported from China on 11 January 2020, the WHO had already warned the world through formal channels, public statements and social media, convened global experts and published extensive guidance for 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 30 January 2020 – the highest level of alert under international health law – outside of China there were fewer than 100 reported cases and no reported deaths.
In the first weeks and months of the pandemic, the director-general repeatedly called on all countries to take immediate measures to protect their populations, warning that “the window of opportunity is closing”, “this is not a drill” and describing COVID-19 as “public enemy number one”.
In response to the many reviews of the COVID-19 pandemic, including of WHO’s performance, WHO has taken steps to strengthen its own work and to support countries to strengthen their own pandemic preparedness and response capacity. The systems WHO developed and managed before, during and after the emergency phase of the pandemic have helped keep all countries safe, including the United States.
The door is open for American return
Despite the withdrawal announcement, the WHO remains committed to global cooperation and expresses hope that the United States will re-engage in the future. The agency highlights recent milestones, including the adoption of the WHO pandemic agreement, described as “a landmark instrument of international law” aimed at preventing and responding to future pandemics.
As a founding member of the WHO, the United States 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 the 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 people.”
