Buenos Aires, 5 February 2025 (dpa/MIA) - Argentina will leave the World Health Organization (WHO) due to the mishandling of the Covid-19 pandemic, a spokesman for right-wing populist President Javier Milei said on Wednesday.

The decision comes two weeks after President Donald Trump announced, on the first day of his second term, that the United States would leave the UN health body.

But while the US shouldered 18% of the WHO's budget last year, Argentina's decision to withdraw will have less severe financial ramifications for the organization.

As countries' contributions are determined according to economic performance and the Argentinian economy has been in tatters, Buenos Aires' mandatory payments only amounted to $8 million, compared to $260 million contributed by the US.

"President Javier Milei has instructed Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein to withdraw Argentina from the WHO," said government spokesman Manuel Adorni at a press conference.

Like Trump, Milei's spokesman said the Argentinian government has profound disagreements with the WHO regarding the response to the coronavirus pandemic.

"We Argentines will not allow an international organization to interfere with our sovereignty and certainly not with our health," said Adorni.

At the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, the South American country's centre-left government imposed very strict measures to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Curfews were in place longer than in almost any other country in the world and, in some cases, people were only allowed to leave their homes for essential shopping and doctor's appointments.

Milei became president in December 2023.

While the impact on finances will be minimal, Argentina decision to copy the US could still have devastating effects for the health body that comprises 194 member states - practically every country in the world including North Korea.

If more members follow suit, it could deal a severe blow to the agency's legitamacy as well as the UN principle of multilateral problem solving.

Argentinian spokesman Adorni said the withdrawal would not result in a loss of international funds for the country.

Instead, leaving the WHO would provide greater flexibility in the implementation of measures adapted to Argentina's interests as well as a greater availability of resources.

MIA file photo