U.S. health officials have been instructed to immediately halt their cooperation with the World Health Organization (WHO).
John Nengasong, a senior official at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), sent a memorandum to senior CDC officials on Sunday night, directing all staff to cease any collaboration with WHO. The memo also instructed the staff to “wait for further instructions.”
Experts have expressed surprise at the sudden nature of this directive, warning that it could disrupt efforts to control the spread of diseases such as Mpox and Marburg virus in Africa. It may also hamper global health initiatives aimed at addressing health threats worldwide. Additionally, this directive comes at a time when global health authorities are closely monitoring bird flu outbreaks in domesticated animals in the U.S.
The Associated Press has reviewed a copy of Nengasong’s memorandum, which states that the order applies to all CDC technical teams, coordination centers, advisory boards, collaborative agreements, and other health-related personnel working with WHO. The directive forbids both direct and virtual communications with WHO and prohibits CDC staff from visiting WHO offices.
Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump, newly in office, signed an executive order to begin the process of withdrawing the U.S. from WHO. However, this withdrawal has not yet taken effect. For the U.S. to formally exit the organization, Congressional approval is required, and the U.S. must also fulfill its financial obligations to WHO for the current fiscal year. Additionally, a notice of withdrawal must be submitted one year in advance.
Apart from the WHO collaboration ban, the Trump administration has also directed U.S. federal health agencies to limit public communications until at least the end of this month.
Jeffrey Klausner, a public health expert at the University of Southern California who works collaboratively with WHO on sexually transmitted disease control, described the cessation of communication with WHO as a significant issue. “People expected the process of the U.S. withdrawing from WHO to unfold gradually, but they didn’t anticipate it happening so quickly,” he said.
He emphasized the mutual benefits of the U.S.-WHO collaboration, noting that it helps the U.S. stay informed about new tests, treatments, and disease outbreaks, both domestically and internationally, ultimately contributing to the safety of U.S. citizens.
An anonymous U.S. health official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the CDC’s action to send the memo was accurate. A WHO spokesperson has reached out to U.S. officials regarding the matter.
When contacted for comment, officials from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not respond immediately.
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