Great loss, self-inflicted problem for America: Lancet editor-in-chief on US’s move to quit WHO

In a statement on January 22, the US Department of Health and Human Services and the US Department of State announced the United States’ completion of its withdrawal from the WHO due to what they termed as the organisation’s mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic, its failure to adopt urgently needed reforms, and its inability to demonstrate independence from the inappropriate political influence of WHO member states.

WHO’s inaugural chief scientist Dr Soumya Swaminathan, even as she termed the US’s move “a big loss”, said that India, in particular, has the potential to play a larger role on the global stage. “Whether through training, capacity building, local manufacturing, or strengthening health research, India can offer more support to the WHO than it currently provides,” she told The Indian Express.

Meanwhile, admitting that global health financing was in crisis, Horton said, “WHO has struggled following the US setback and all this has triggered a recalibration phase — a broader global health reset. As a result, there will be greater reliance on domestic resource mobilisation. Countries will need to invest independently in their own health systems rather than rely primarily on international funding. In many ways, this could be a positive development.”

On India, he said the country has made tremendous progress toward its goal of Universal Health Coverage by 2047, particularly over the past two decades. “However, several critical gaps remain and India must focus not only on expanding access to healthcare, but also on improving the quality of care. While out-of-pocket health expenditure remains a major challenge, there is a strong need for better alignment between the public and private health sectors. As one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, India has the capacity to invest more in health and there is clear political commitment to do so,” he told The Indian Express.