MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

WHO in dire straits without US funding

“In at least 70 countries, patients are not receiving their treatments,” Tedros said

The World Health Organization (WHO) is reducing its 2026-2027 budget from US$ 5.3 billion to US$ 4.2 billion to cope with the financial challenges stemming from US President Donald Trump's decision to pull his country out of the United Nations agency.

The 21% cut includes halving some of the WHO's departments and management team, streamlining operations, and prioritizing critical tasks. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the budget's modesty, comparing the $2.1 billion annual need to global military spending every eight hours or a quarter of the tobacco industry’s yearly advertising budget. “The organization cannot do everything that the Member States ask of it with the resources at its disposal,” he argued. Countries “right now need a strong WHO,” he also pointed out.

The funding gap of US$ 1.7 billion exacerbates health service disruptions in 70 countries, with closed health centers and unemployed health workers. WHO is pushing for increased mandatory contributions from member states to reach 50% of its budget, reducing reliance on voluntary donations, historically led by the US.

Additionally, the World Health Assembly is set to approve a 20% increase in annual dues and a new pandemic treaty to improve global health equity and preparedness, though its effectiveness is uncertain without US participation and due to non-binding terms.

Critics, including activist groups, oppose the WHO's centralized approach, citing concerns over power consolidation and past pandemic management.

Given that in his first administration (2017-2021), Trump had already defunded the WHO, the organization undertook some reforms to its financial situation back then, including a proposal to Member States to gradually increase their contributions.

Presently, the WHO can only manage to get US$ 2.6 billion, or 60% of the total amount needed. “We know that with the current scenario, mobilizing that sum will be difficult,” Tedros acknowledged. ”In at least 70 countries, patients are not receiving their treatments, health centers have closed, health workers have lost their jobs, and more people have to pay out of their own pockets for (medical) expenses,” he added, although he made no specific reference to the US cuts or reduced outlays from wealthy European countries.

The WHO Director General made these remarks in Geneva during the 78th World Health Assembly (WHA78). This year's theme is “One World for Health”, and delegates are discussing major global health issues, including the adoption of a pandemic agreement, which would guarantee that countries that share critical samples of viruses will receive any resulting tests, medicines and vaccines and give WHO up to 20% of such products to make sure poorer countries can have access to them. “Every World Health Assembly is significant, but this year's is especially so,“ Tedros said. ”This is truly a historic moment,” added the former Ethiopian health and foreign minister.