Indonesia’s health minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, the nation’s nominee for the World Health Organization’s top job, called on the United States to rejoin the agency after its withdrawal earlier this year. In an interview with Reuters, Sadikin said, “Many member states feel that the US should be back. The US should be back,” adding that it is “scientifically impossible” for any country to face a pandemic on its own.
Candidate background and the WHO race
Sadikin, a former banker with experience at IBM and Indonesia’s Mandiri bank, is one of six candidates vying to replace Ethiopia’s Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus as WHO director‑general. The other contenders include nominees from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Spain, Botswana and Belgium. Unlike the other applicants, Sadikin has not worked for the WHO nor holds a formal health‑sector degree; his résumé is built on public‑service leadership, notably overseeing Indonesia’s massive COVID‑19 vaccination campaign and a free health‑screening program for its 280 million citizens.
Focus on funding and reform
Sadikin emphasized that the agency must rebuild its financial base after the United States, the WHO’s largest donor, withdrew in January 2024. He suggested the organization could rally development banks such as the Asian Development Bank and the World Bank to help nations craft and implement their own health plans. “Many member states feel that while they are receiving money from donors, global health institutions, or the WHO, they’re being directed to do things driven in the health office in Geneva,” he said, calling for a refocus on the WHO’s core mandate of setting science‑based norms and standards.
U.S. perspective
The United States left the WHO under President Donald Trump, who accused the agency of mishandling the COVID‑19 pandemic—a claim the organization denies. Sadikin noted a personal connection with U.S. Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr., saying, “We can talk easily and the connection is there.” He argued that re‑engagement would benefit global health security and restore confidence among member states.
Next steps
The WHO will announce all nominations for director‑general later this month, with a vote expected in May 2027. Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto personally nominated Sadikin for the role earlier this year.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
