If the U.S. withdraws funding and support from WHO, critical programs that support the survival of women and children will be at risk.

In this April 15, 2020 file photo, the logo and building of the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.

WHO’s constitution, drafted in New York, doesn’t have a clear exit method for member states. A joint resolution by Congress in 1948 outlined that the U.S. can withdraw with one year's notice. This is contingent, however, on ensuring that its financial obligations to WHO “shall be met in full for the organization’s current fiscal year.”

Tania Cernuschi, a WHO staff member of 10 years who has worked on improving vaccine access, said she thought of the campaign when she could not sleep after Trump's announcement.

The World Health Organization said Friday it was reviewing its priorities ahead of the withdrawal of its largest donor the United States, noting the agency provides vital services to protect against health threats.

The World Health Organization is drawing up a list of reasons why the U.S. should remain in the WHO for its own good, two sources familiar with the process told Reuters, as part of an attempt by its supporters to lobby incoming President Donald Trump.

By withdrawing from the World Health Organization and overhauling aid, Trump's new executive orders endanger Americans and the globe, researchers warn. The move also cedes U.S. power to other nations.

By Patrick Wingrove, Jennifer Rigby and Emma Farge NEW YORK/GENEVA (Reuters) - The United States will leave the World Health Organization, President Donald Trump said on Monday, saying the global health agency had mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises.

Staff at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been told to halt all communication with the World Health Organization.

More than half of Americans believe the U.S. benefits from its membership in the WHO. As of April 2024, 25% of U.S. adults say the country benefits a great deal from its membership, while about one third say it benefits a fair amount. Conversely, 38% say the U.S. does not benefit much or at all from WHO membership.

As one of the world’s largest funders of global health, America’s step back may curtail efforts to provide lifesaving health care and combat deadly outbreaks, especially in lower-income countries without the means to do so alone.