Argentina outside the WHO: a political and sanitary nonsense, according to experts

The decision of the president of ArgentinaJavier Milei, to follow Donald Trump’s example and withdraw his country from the World Health Organization (WHO) lacks logic in the level of foreign policy and is a “aberration”From the health point of view, experts consulted by EFE affirm.

The measure announced on Wednesday and widely questioned by various opposition sectors is based on arguments that for political analysts and experts in public health do not conform to the facts.

By justifying his decision, the Executive of Milei alleged that you can’t “allow an international organism to intervene” in the “sovereignty“From a country and said that”recipes“From WHO”They are the result of political influence, not based on science”

In addition, he questioned the health management of the Covid-19 pandemic by WHO, which Argentina belongs since its creation in 1948 and which already which already Milei accused being “The executing arm” of the “greater social control experiment in history”, In reference to the quarantines implemented during the pandemic.

Aberration and ignorance

“The WHO task has been invaluable within the framework of Pandemia, which has implied a cooperation scheme of countries, scientific organizations and companies to generate the solutions that this crisis demanded. Argentina will receive the damages of moving away from that organization”The political analyst told Efe Jorge Ariasof the consultant POLILAT.

The exit of the WHO It will imply, among other things, to stay out of international collaboration for training, scientific studies and analysis of epidemiological impacts, and without access to financial information and support.

“The measure is an aberration, a sample of absolute ignorance. WHO is a coordination and cooperation agency, it does not impose any policy, it only makes recommendations”The doctor and public health expert told EFE Adrián AndreattaCoordinator of the area of Sanitary Planning of the Esperanza Foundation.

Andreatta He defended the health actions applied by the then government of Alberto Fernández (2019-2023) before the Pandemia and questioned the policy of the Milei Executive in the area of ​​health, with budget cuts within the severe adjustment plan implemented since the end of 2023.

“Taking out the medications to retirees, not attending disabilities, throwing hospitals or closing them are policies of this government, the WHO does not recommend them”He said Andreatta.

Trump’s imitation

This Wednesday’s announcement arrives two weeks after the president of the United States, Donald Trump, signed an executive order to withdraw his country from the WHO, arguing that he contributed many more resources than China to the agency.

“Undoubtedly, Milei competes for being Trump’s most advanced student. There is a strategic coincidence of the new right“, noticed Arias.

According to the expert, “For Argentina’s political driving there is nothing more important than ‘follow -up’ of Trump’s and Elon Musk policies, in particular, so we will surely continue to see chapters in this sad international novel”

“Milei’s decision to leave WHO is given within the framework of a series of imitations of what Trump does, but without any sense. There is no background transaction nor is there an order from the United States. It is a unilateral decision of Milei with very negative consequences for Argentina”The political analyst Patricio Giusto, director of the political diagnostic consultancy, told Efe.

The expert questioned the government’s argument of the alleged need to “recover sovereignty” because “Supraestatal organisms do not make decisions that are imposed on the sovereignty of states, which can apply or not those decisions”

“Without coordination with global health policies, the consequences will be very burdensome in terms of fighting diseases that are transnational. Is shameful and unfortunate”, He concluded.