Argentina has officially confirmed its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) and reiterated its intention to deepen cooperation with the United States on health matters. The announcement came during a visit to Buenos Aires by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy.
The decision, originally made public in February by President Javier Milei, mirrors a similar stance taken by former U.S. President Donald Trump, who had also pledged to pull the U.S. out of the UN agency.
Justifying the move in a statement, the Argentine government criticised the WHO’s operational model. “The WHO’s prescriptions do not work because they are not based on science but on political interests and bureaucratic structures that refuse to review their own mistakes,” the statement read.
Argentina has previously denounced the WHO’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly criticising its lockdown measures, which it described as a “caveman quarantine.”
The latest announcement coincided with Kennedy’s meeting with Argentine Health Minister Mario Lugones to set up a “joint work agenda” focused on improving “transparency and trust” in the country’s health system.
“Together with Robert Kennedy, we believe in the future of collaboration in global health. We have similar visions about the path forward,” Lugones said.
Kennedy, known for his vaccine skepticism and controversial views, is expected to hold further talks with President Milei. During the WHO’s annual assembly last week, Kennedy appeared via video to urge member states to abandon the agency, claiming it was compromised by influence from China, gender ideology, and the pharmaceutical industry.
In addition to its WHO withdrawal, the Argentine government announced a “structural review” of its national health institutions. The effort aims to overhaul regulatory frameworks and increase transparency in systems that officials say have long been plagued by redundancies, outdated policies, and insufficient oversight.
