The World Health Organization (WHO) has announced plans to cut its budget by 21 percent, following the United States’ decision to withdraw its funding.
The global health body will face an income shortfall of nearly $600 million in 2025, forcing it to scale down its operations and workforce.
In an internal email obtained by AFP on Saturday, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus informed staff that the organization had “no choice” but to implement cost-cutting measures.
He attributed the financial crisis to the US decision to halt virtually all foreign aid, including substantial contributions to global health initiatives.
“The dramatic cuts to official development assistance by the United States of America and others are causing massive disruption to countries, NGOs, and United Nations agencies, including WHO,” Tedros stated.
Before the US withdrawal, the WHO had already been facing financial constraints and had started implementing efficiency measures nearly nine months ago.
However, the situation worsened with the withdrawal, compounded by reductions in aid from other donor nations due to increased defense spending.
“As a result, we are facing an income gap of almost $600 million this year alone,” Tedros said, emphasizing the challenge of mobilizing resources amid economic and geopolitical instability.
In response, the WHO’s executive board last month slashed the proposed 2026-2027 budget from $5.3 billion to $4.9 billion. But given the worsening outlook for development assistance, the organization has now proposed a further reduction to $4.2 billion, 21 percent less than the initial budget plan.
During the WHO’s last budget cycle (2022-2023), the United States contributed $1.3 billion, accounting for 16.3 percent of the agency’s $7.89 billion budget. Most of this funding came in the form of voluntary contributions earmarked for specific projects, rather than fixed membership dues.
Tedros warned that the funding gap would force the WHO to scale back its programs and reduce its workforce. “This reduction will begin at headquarters, starting with senior leadership, but will affect all levels and regions,” he said.
The budget cuts are expected to have far-reaching implications for global health programs, particularly in developing nations that rely heavily on WHO support.
AFP
