WHO Faces Major Staff Reduction After United States Funding Withdrawal
This international public health organization disclosed plans to cut its workforce by nearly a quarter – amounting to more than 2,000 jobs – before the middle of 2026.
Funding Shortfall Triggers Substantial Reorganization
The move comes after the US, previously the organization's biggest contributor, pulled out funding earlier this period.
The US government had been responsible for approximately eighteen percent of the organization's overall budget, creating a significant budgetary shortfall.
Projected Staff Cuts
Based on internal estimates, the staff is expected to drop from nine thousand four hundred and one positions in January 2025 to approximately 7,030 by mid-2026.
The decrease of 2,371 positions includes job cuts, retirements, and natural attrition.
"This year has been among the toughest in WHO's history, while we have navigated a challenging but necessary process of prioritisation and restructuring," stated the organization's director-general.
Financial Gap Remains
The Geneva-based body now faces a funding shortfall of 1.06 billion dollars for the upcoming period, amounting to nearly a fourth of its required budget.
The amount marks an improvement from a prior projected shortfall of 1.7 billion dollars reported in spring.
Not Included Finances
The budget calculations exclude an additional 1.1 billion dollars in potential contributions from ongoing negotiations with various donors.
The spokesperson for the agency noted that the current unfunded portion of the budget is in fact lower than in previous years, crediting this to several factors:
- Reduced overall budget size
- The launch of a fresh fundraising effort
- Higher in participating countries' mandatory fees
The restructuring process is currently nearing its end, allowing the agency to move forward with a renewed operational model.
