Sri Lanka, Jan. 24 -- The US has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO), a year after President Donald Trump announced he was putting an end to America's 78-year-old commitment to the health agency.

Trump notified the United Nations health agency a year ago when he signed an executive order on the first day of his office in 2025. This was followed by a one-year waiting period before the withdrawal was finalized.

The US president cited the organization's alleged "mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic" and "other global health crises" among reasons to quit the body. He also said that US membership in the organization required "unfairly onerous payments."

"Today, the United States withdrew from the World Health Organ...