Former Kaduna Central lawmaker, Senator Shehu Sani, has described the United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organisation (WHO) as an unfortunate move that could weaken global health security, especially for vulnerable communities.
Reacting via his X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday, Sani said the WHO remains an irreplaceable institution in addressing global health challenges, particularly in remote and underserved regions.
The United States officially completed its exit from the UN health agency on January 22, 2026, ending a 78-year membership and its position as the organisation’s largest financial contributor.
The withdrawal followed a year-long process initiated by the Trump administration.
Sani warned that the decision leaves a major funding gap running into hundreds of millions of dollars annually, threatening critical programmes such as polio eradication, malaria control, and pandemic preparedness.
He called on the European Union, China, and wealthy Arab Gulf nations to step in and fill the financial vacuum left by the US.
While the US government justified its decision by accusing the WHO of mishandling the COVID-19 pandemic and failing to implement reforms, critics argue that abandoning a multilateral framework could slow global responses to future health emergencies.
According to Sani, a fragmented global health approach risks leaving the world’s most remote communities without adequate protection.
