WHO urges protection of US CDC amid funding, leadership turmoil

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for safeguarding the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), warning that leadership instability and budget cuts could weaken the agency’s global health role.

WHO Director-General, Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus, on Sunday stressed that the CDC’s track record in public health excellence must not be compromised. His remarks come in the wake of senior resignations, recent layoffs, and a proposed 20 per cent budget reduction in a U.S. House of Representatives appropriations bill.

The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) also raised alarm, noting that the CDC has long been a cornerstone of disease prevention, outbreak response, and health research worldwide.

“Leadership instability and the departure of experienced public health professionals threaten to undermine the agency’s mission at a time when strong, evidence-based guidance is needed more than ever,” ASTMH said.

The CDC has been at the forefront of responding to global health crises, including Ebola, Zika, COVID-19, and ongoing disease surveillance. Observers fear that weakened leadership and reduced resources could undercut its capacity to protect both U.S. citizens and the international community.