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WHO Faces Unprecedented $600 Million Funding Gap as U.S. Withdrawal Triggers Crisis

The global health agency proposes a 21% budget cut and staff reductions, warning of severe impacts on worldwide disease prevention and response.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization (WHO), talks during a press conference organized by the Geneva Association of United Nations Correspondents (ACANU), at the World Health Organization (WHO) headquarters, Geneva, Switzerland, Thursday, May 1, 2025. (Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP)
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Overview

  • WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the current funding disruption as the most significant in the organization's history.
  • The U.S., previously contributing 18% of WHO's budget, withdrew in January 2025, citing dissatisfaction with the agency's handling of global health crises.
  • WHO now faces a $600 million income gap for 2025, exacerbated by reduced contributions from other donor countries.
  • To address the shortfall, the agency has proposed cutting its 2026–27 budget by 21%, reducing it from $5.3 billion to $4.2 billion, alongside staff reductions.
  • The proposed measures are expected to significantly impact global health programs, including disease prevention and response efforts.