WHO Faces Major Staff Reduction Following United States Funding Withdrawal
The global public health agency revealed plans to reduce its workforce by nearly a fourth – totaling more than two thousand positions – by the middle of 2026.
Funding Shortfall Triggers Major Restructuring
The move follows following the US, formerly the agency's biggest contributor, withdrew financial support earlier this period.
The US government was responsible for approximately 18% of the agency's overall budget, creating a substantial budgetary shortfall.
Projected Workforce Reductions
Based on organizational estimates, the workforce will decrease from nine thousand four hundred and one posts in January 2025 to around 7,030 by mid-2026.
The decrease of 2,371 positions comprises staff reductions, retirements, and natural attrition.
"The past year was one of the most difficult in our existence, while we undertook a painful but necessary process of prioritization and restructuring," stated the organization's director-general.
Budget Gap Remains
The Geneva-based body currently faces a funding shortfall of 1.06 billion dollars for the upcoming period, amounting to nearly a fourth of its total budget.
This figure represents an improvement from a prior estimated gap of 1.7 billion dollars reported in spring.
Not Included Funding
The financial calculations exclude an additional 1.1 billion dollars in potential funding from current discussions with various contributors.
A spokesperson for the agency stated that the present unfunded part of the budget is actually smaller than in previous periods, attributing this to multiple reasons:
- A smaller total budget size
- The launch of a fresh donor outreach effort
- An increase in member states' mandatory fees
This restructuring initiative is currently approaching its end, allowing the organization to progress with a renewed operational model.
