WHO Faces Funding Crisis as US Confirms Withdrawal

The United States' decision to leave the WHO jeopardizes key global health programs and creates a significant financial shortfall for the organization.

• The US withdrawal from the WHO, ordered by President Trump, will take effect on January 22, 2026, leaving a major funding gap for the organization.
• The US has historically been the largest contributor to the WHO, providing 18% of its budget and funding critical programs for diseases like HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis.
• WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has urged the US to reconsider its decision, highlighting the organization's extensive reforms over the past seven years.
• Uncertainty surrounds whether the US will fulfill its $264 million contribution for the 2024-2025 budget, potentially impacting the organization's 8,000 employees and ongoing health initiatives.
• Germany and other nations are being considered to help fill the funding gap, with Germany already committing significant voluntary contributions in recent years.

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