Washington, Jan 23 (V7N) — The United States has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO), one of the largest United Nations donor agencies, BBC reported on Friday.

US President Donald Trump had signaled the move a year ago by signing an executive order, criticizing the WHO for being China-centric during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In a statement, the US Department of Health and Human Services said the decision was made due to the political influence of member states within the organization.

However, the WHO rejected the US position. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the withdrawal would have detrimental effects on both the United States and the global community.

This marks a major shift in global health diplomacy, as the United States had been one of the WHO’s largest contributors.

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