The George Institute has worked with its partners and collaborators to issue joint statements in support of the World Health Organization.

The George Institute researchers, Professor Jacqui Webster, Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Salt Reduction and Professor Margie Peden, Co-Director, WHO Collaborating Centre for Injury Prevention, along with other global health experts issue a joint statement in support for WHO funding.

• Download the statement from Australian WHO Collaborating Centres. (PDF 110 KB)

Professor Margie Peden, along with other members of the United Nations Road Safety Collaboration also issued a statement recording appreciation and support for the outstanding role and leadership of the World Health Organization (WHO) in global road safety.

• Download the statement from United Nations Road Safety Collaboration. (PDF 190 KB)

The George Institute along with more than 1,000 organizations and individuals including charities, medical experts and healthcare companies from around the world have written to the White House arguing the Trump administration should reverse course and keep funding the World Health Organization (WHO), making a case that the coronavirus pandemic can't be brought under control without the WHO.

• Download the open letter to Trump Administration supporting WHO funding. (PDF 222 KB)

The George Institute signed a joint statement with other organisations and women working in global development on COVID-19, emphasising that 'now more than ever, countries need to unite behind a strong WHO - sharing knowledge, strategy, technical resources and financial statement to defeat the global threat we all face.'

• Read and share the statement from Women Working in Global Development on COVID-19

As a medical research institute with a mission to improve the health of millions of people worldwide, The George Institute for Global Health is extremely concerned by the decision of President Trump to suspend funding to the World Health Organization (WHO).

The WHO plays a vital role in protecting and promoting health around the world, not only by coordinating the global response to infectious disease outbreaks, but through strengthening health systems, increasing access to medicines, and improving monitoring and information sharing, particularly in resource-poor settings.

Recognising the WHO’s crucial work to support the right of every human being to the highest attainable standard of health, the United States of America has historically led the way in terms of its support for the agency; in 2018-2019, it was the largest contributor to WHO’s budget, providing 15% of the total.

To withdraw support to the WHO just as COVID-19 sweeps the world risks worsening the already dire consequences of this pandemic, which we know is striking hardest those people made vulnerable by poverty and marginalisation.

As a global community, this crisis reinforces the need to work together and strengthen the WHO, recognising that the need for a global health agency in our increasingly connected world is greater than ever. We strongly urge US political leaders to reinstate funding to the WHO with immediate effect.