Faith Nyasuguta
Argentina has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization, becoming the latest country to step away from the UN’s top health agency after a similar move by the United States earlier this year.
The decision, confirmed by Foreign Minister Pablo Quirno, completes a process first announced in 2025 by President Javier Milei’s administration. Authorities in Buenos Aires say the withdrawal has been carried out in line with international treaty timelines, formally ending Argentina’s membership in the Geneva-based organisation.
At the heart of the decision is the government’s deep criticism of how the WHO handled the Covid-19 pandemic. Argentine officials have repeatedly argued that the agency’s recommendations were influenced by political interests rather than grounded purely in science. This position has become a defining feature of Milei’s broader stance toward global institutions, which he has accused of overreach and inefficiency.
Despite exiting the WHO, Argentina has signalled it will not disengage entirely from international health cooperation. Instead, the government says it plans to pursue partnerships through bilateral agreements and regional frameworks, allowing it to collaborate on health issues while maintaining full control over domestic policy decisions. The move reflects a wider emphasis on sovereignty and independent governance in key sectors.
Argentina’s withdrawal closely follows that of the United States, which formally exited the WHO in January under President Donald Trump. Washington’s decision came after longstanding criticism of the organisation, particularly regarding its pandemic response and relationship with major global powers. Milei, who has often expressed ideological alignment with Trump, appears to be steering Argentina along a similar path.
The back-to-back exits of two significant member states have raised concerns about the future of global health coordination. For decades, the WHO has played a central role in combating international health threats, from leading the eradication of smallpox to coordinating responses to diseases such as Ebola, HIV and tuberculosis.
Health experts warn that reduced participation by major countries could weaken collective responses to future pandemics, particularly in a world where cross-border health threats are increasingly common. The WHO’s leadership has previously cautioned that fragmentation in global health governance could leave both individual nations and the international community more vulnerable.
Argentina’s departure now adds momentum to a broader debate about the role of multilateral institutions in an era of rising geopolitical tension. As more governments reassess their relationships with global bodies, the balance between national autonomy and international cooperation is becoming a defining question in global health policy.
Whether other countries will follow suit remains uncertain. But Argentina’s exit showcases a shifting stance—one where trust in global institutions is being tested, and where the future of coordinated responses to global crises is far from guaranteed.
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