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The Government Responded to the WHO and Said It Will Not Reconsider Its Exit: “Our Position Does Not Change”
🇦🇷 Argentina /Health & Science

The Government Responded to the WHO and Said It Will Not Reconsider Its Exit: “Our Position Does Not Change”

From La Nación · (2h ago) Spanish Critical tone

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Argentina's Ministry of Health responded to the WHO, stating its decision to withdraw will not be reconsidered, despite a request from the WHO Director.
  • The WHO's call for reconsideration followed a hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius, which departed from Ushuaia.
  • Argentina asserted its health capacity and political will to protect its population, stating it does not need to belong to the WHO to cooperate internationally.

Argentina has firmly stated that its decision to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) will not be reversed, despite a plea from the organization's director. The Ministry of Health issued a clear message: "Our position does not change." This firm stance comes in the wake of a hantavirus outbreak on the cruise ship MV Hondius, which originated in Ushuaia, Argentina.

Nuestra posición no cambia

— Ministerio de SaludThe Argentine Ministry of Health's response to the WHO regarding the decision to withdraw.

The Ministry of Health framed the WHO's appeal as politically motivated, suggesting the organization is attempting to leverage an extraordinary health event to influence a sovereign decision. Argentina maintains that its withdrawal is a matter of political will and that it possesses the necessary health and technical capacity to safeguard its population independently. The government emphasized that international cooperation does not require political subordination and that Argentina can collaborate with other nations without being a member of the WHO.

Esta situación demuestra que la cooperación técnica no exige subordinación política. La OMS vuelve a anteponer la política a la evidencia e intenta usar un evento sanitario extraordinario para condicionar una decisión soberana de la Argentina

— Ministerio de SaludThe Ministry of Health's statement accusing the WHO of prioritizing politics over evidence and attempting to condition Argentina's sovereign decision.

The hantavirus outbreak, linked to a Dutch couple who traveled extensively in South America, has led to investigations and health monitoring, including tracing passengers from the cruise ship and those on a connecting flight to South Africa. While Argentina acknowledges the seriousness of the outbreak and is actively engaged in epidemiological monitoring and information exchange, it views this event as separate from its decision regarding WHO membership.

Pueden ver lo importante que es la universalidad para la seguridad sanitaria, ya que a los virus no les importa nuestra política, ni nuestras fronteras, ni todas las excusas que podamos tener

— Tedros Adhanom GhebreyesusWHO Director's statement emphasizing the importance of universality for health security.

From an Argentine perspective, this situation underscores a desire for greater national autonomy in health policy. The government's response reflects a belief that its domestic capabilities are sufficient and that its international health engagement can be managed on its own terms. The emphasis on "sovereign decisions" highlights a nationalistic sentiment, prioritizing self-determination in matters of public health and international relations.

capacidad sanitaria, técnica y decisión política para proteger la salud de la población

— Ministerio de SaludThe Ministry of Health's assertion of Argentina's capacity to protect its population's health.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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