AP reported that on February 5, the spokesman for the Argentine Presidential Palace, Mr. Manuel Adorni, said that Argentina will withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) due to not finding a common voice.
Speaking at a press conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Mr. Adorni affirmed that this decision was carefully crafted, based on “profound differences in health management”, and criticized WHO for causing an unprecedented lockdown by issuing a series of unreasonable instructions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mr. Adorni emphasized that Argentina will not allow an international organization to interfere with the country's sovereignty, in any field, especially health. However, Mr. Adorni did not specify when President Javier Milei's decision will take effect.
According to AP, Mr. Milei compared the lockdown imposed by former President Alberto Fernandez in Argentina during the pandemic as a tool of government repression, saying that this had significantly damaged the economy.
Mr. Adorni said that this decision will not affect the quality of health services in the country because Argentina does not receive funding from the WHO. “On the contrary, it will give more flexibility to implement policies that are appropriate to the context and interests of Argentina,” he added.
Also on February 5, Mr. Milei wrote on social network X: "Long live freedom" to criticize the United Nations health agency.
WHO said it was reviewing Argentina's claim.
Although Argentina is expected to contribute only about $8 million of the WHO's $6.9 billion budget for 2024-2025, this will cause a rift in global health cooperation as the organization loses another member state.
WHO is the only organization tasked with coordinating global responses to major health crises, particularly outbreaks of new diseases and persistent threats such as Ebola, AIDS and mpox (monkey pox).
Previously, the US - Argentina's ally - also withdrew from the WHO after Mr. Donald Trump returned to the White House for 1 day, on January 21. President Trump said that the US had to pay too much money compared to other countries when joining this organization.
