Dr Anthony S. Fauci, representative of President Joe Bidden of United States, at the 148th session of the Executive Board of the World Health Organization (WHO) held 21st January 2021, has confirmed the readiness of President Joe Bidden to work with WHO.
According to Fauci, the new president signed letters retracting Trump’s Administration’s announcement to withdraw from the organization. “I am honored to announce that the United States will remain a member of the World Health Organization” he said. Adding that the letters have been transmitted to the Secretary-General of United Nations and to the WHO Director General Dr Tedros.
In addition to retracting the notification of withdrawal and retaining membership in the WHO, Dr Fauci said, the United States will cease the drawdown of U.S. staff seconded to the WHO and will resume regular engagement of U.S. government personnel with the WHO both directly and through USA’s WHO Collaborating Centers.
The United States, according to President Joe Bidden representative, also intends to fulfill its financial obligations to the organization. “The United States sees technical collaboration at all levels as a fundamental part of our relationship with WHO, one that we value deeply and will look to strengthen going forward” said Fauci.
Dr Fauci added, “as a WHO member state, the United States will work constructively with partners to strengthen and importantly reform the WHO, to help lead the collective effort to strengthen the international COVID-19 response and address its secondary impacts on people, communities, and health systems around the world.”. Adding that the Biden Administration intends to be fully engaged in advancing global health, supporting global health security and the Global Health Security Agenda, and building a healthier future for all people.
“I am also pleased to announce today that the United States plans to work multilaterally to respond to and recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. President Biden will issue a directive later today which will include the intent of the U.S. to join COVAX and support the ACT-Accelerator to advance multilateral efforts for COVID-19 vaccine, therapeutic, and diagnostic distribution, equitable access, and research and development.” Said Fauci
The United States, Fauci said will work with the WHO and Member States to counter the erosion of major gains in global health that have been achieved through decades of research, collaboration and investments in health and health security, including in HIV/AIDS, food security, malaria, and epidemic preparedness.
“And it will be our policy to support women’s and girls’ sexual and reproductive health and reproductive rights in the United States, as well as globally. To that end, President Biden will be revoking the Mexico City Policy in the coming days, as part of his broader commitment to protect women’s health and advance gender equality at home and around the world.”
We realize that responding to COVID-19 and rebuilding global health and advancing health security around the world will not be easy. And in this regard:
We are committed to transparency, including those events surrounding the early days of the pandemic. It is imperative that we learn and build upon important lessons about how future pandemic events can be averted. The international investigation should be robust and clear, and we look forward to evaluating it;
Other President Bidden commitments to WHO include:
– work with the WHO and partner countries to strengthen and reform the WHO, improve mechanisms for responding to health emergencies across the United Nations, and strengthen the International Health Regulations;
– building global health security capacity, expanding pandemic preparedness, and supporting efforts to strengthen health systems around the world and to advance the Sustainable Development Goals;
– work with partners to develop new international financing mechanisms for health security;
– seek an improved, shared system for early warning and rapid response to emerging biological threats;
-support scientifically robust and ethically sound collaborative science, research and research capacity building, as well as the rapid sharing of research results, pathogen samples and data essential to research progress;
-strengthen pandemic supply chain networks;
– work with partners around the world to build a system that leaves us better prepared for this pandemic and for the next one.
– ready to work in partnership and solidarity to support the international COVID-19 response, mitigate its impact on the world, strengthen our institutions, advance epidemic preparedness for the future, and improve the health and wellbeing of all people throughout the world.”
In his response, Dr Tedros WHO Director General welcomes US pledge to maintain Membership in WHO.
While welcoming Dr Anthony Fauci, the WHO DG thanks and congratulates President Joe Bidden and the new Vice President Harris, and the American people. “This is a good day for WHO, and a good day for global health. I send my deep thanks and warm congratulations to President Biden and Vice President Harris, and to the American people. Thank you, President Biden, for honouring your pledge to maintain the membership of the United States in WHO.”