United States (US) President Donald Trump’s executive order to withdraw from the World Health Organisation (WHO) may have a negative effect on service delivery in countries such as Malawi, some quarters have said.
Trump was sworn in as America’s president on Monday.
One of the first executive orders he made pertained to that country’s withdrawal from WHO.
The US is the WHO’s biggest financial provider, contributing about 18 percent of its overall funding.
Minister of Information and government spokesperson Moses Kunkuyu said it was in the best interest of Malawians for developed countries to contribute to climate change.
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“Developed countries should devote their energies and resources towards initiatives aimed at reducing the effects of climate change and disease,” Kunkuyu said.
Health rights activist Maziko Matemba said WHO in Malawi had supported a number of initiatives that included disease prevention and surveillance.
He cited cholera, vaccines, preventable diseases, Covid and emergency preparedness and response, including providing advisory services to the government, as some of the activities that had benefitted Malawi.
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“These are huge costs of interventions that need to be sustained,” Matemba said.
In the 2020 to 2021 biennium, WHO allocated approximately $17.59 million to the fight against Covid, among many diseases.
Of this amount, $14.94 million was made available to the Malawi Government, with $12.58 million utilised for critical health initiatives, underscoring WHO’s role in supporting the country’s healthcare system.
The funding has been part of a broader international effort to strengthen Malawi’s health systems.
Meanwhile, WHO has expressed regret over the US’ announcement of its intent to withdraw from the organisation, saying the US had played a very big role in global health efforts over the past seven decades.
A statement from Geneva released on Tuesday says the United States was a founding member of WHO in 1948 and that it had been instrumental in shaping and governing the organisation’s work ever since.
The US government’s announcement has sparked global concern, as the country has historically been one of the largest financial contributors to the organisation.
In a further boost, the German government provided a €16 million ($17.3 million) grant in March 2024 to enhance sexual and reproductive health services in the country.
The funding, facilitated by Population Services International, aims to improve maternal and child health outcomes.
In August 2024, the Global Fund approved over $525 million in grants for the 2024-27 period to combat HIV, tuberculosis and malaria.
These diseases remain major public health challenges in Malawi.
