Written by AP Medical Writer Mike Stobbe
NEW YORK (AP) Public health officials in the United States have been instructed to cease their collaboration with the World Health Organization, with immediate effect.
On Sunday evening, John Nkengasong, a representative of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, sent a message to the agency’s senior management informing them that any employees who collaborate with the WHO must cease their activities immediately and wait for additional instructions.
The abrupt halt, according to experts, was unexpected and would delay efforts to look into and try to stem Marburg virus and mpoxin outbreaks in Africa as well as developing worldwide concerns. Additionally, it coincides with global health officials keeping an eye on avian flu outbreaks among cattle in the United States.
The stop-work edict, according to a copy of Nkengasong’s memo seen by the Associated Press, applies to all CDC employees interacting with WHO in person or virtually through technical working groups, coordinating centers, advisory boards, cooperative agreements, or other channels. Additionally, it states that CDC employees are not permitted to attend WHO offices.
The executive order that President Donald Trump released last week to start the process of the United States withdrawing from WHO did not go into force right away. Congress must approve leaving WHO, and the United States must pay its debts for the current fiscal year. Additionally, the United States must give a year’s notice.
Additionally, his administration instructed government health authorities to cease most public contacts by the end of the month.
According to Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a public health specialist from the University of Southern California who works with WHO on efforts to combat sexually transmitted illnesses, cutting off contact and meetings with WHO is a major issue.
People anticipated a gradual departure. Klausner claimed to have heard about it from someone at the CDC and that it has truly caught everyone off guard.
He went on to say that communication with WHO is reciprocal and that both organizations gain from one another’s experience. According to Klausner, the partnership enables the United States to get knowledge about new diagnostic procedures, treatment developments, and outbreaks that can help safeguard Americans both domestically and internationally.
Through cooperative agreements, the CDC provides WHO with information about almost 30 individuals and millions of money. Employees of the two agencies communicate daily regarding health risks and how to prevent them, while the U.S. agency also employs some of the top specialists in the world in infectious illnesses and public health issues.
The suspension of partnership is not the only way that Trump’s executive orders have affected global health. The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, is another important initiative whose funding was frozen by the president last week.
Since its inception under Republican President George W. Bush, the anti-HIV program has been credited with saving 25 million lives, including the lives of 5.5 million children. It was part of a three-month-long moratorium on foreign aid spending by the Trump administration.
Beatriz Grinsztejn, president of the International AIDS Society, stated in a statement that PEPFAR supplies HIV medication to over 20 million individuals and that cutting off its financing is crucial to terminating their HIV treatment. HIV will resurface and people will die if that occurs.
The CDC was ceasing its collaboration with WHO, according to a U.S. health official. The individual spoke on condition of anonymity and was not allowed to discuss the document.
Concerns regarding the withdrawal were directed to U.S. officials by a WHO representative.
An email request for comment was not immediately answered by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services officials. Additionally, when the AP asked CDC officials to talk to Nkengasong about the message, they didn’t reply.
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AP Medical This report was written by Lauran Neergaard.