WHO Faces Major Staff Reduction After US Funding Withdrawal
The global public health organization disclosed plans to reduce its staff by nearly a quarter – totaling over 2,000 positions – by mid-2026.
Funding Crisis Prompts Major Restructuring
The move comes following the United States, previously the agency's biggest contributor, withdrew funding earlier this year.
The US government had been contributing approximately eighteen percent of the organization's overall funding, causing a significant budgetary gap.
Expected Workforce Reductions
According to internal projections, the staff is expected to drop from nine thousand four hundred and one positions in January 2025 to approximately seven thousand and thirty by mid-2026.
This reduction of 2,371 positions comprises job cuts, employees retiring, and natural departures.
"This year has been one of the most difficult in our history, while we have navigated a painful but essential journey of prioritization and restructuring," stated the agency's leader.
Financial Gap Remains
The Switzerland-headquartered body currently faces a budget gap of 1.06 billion dollars for the upcoming period, amounting to nearly a fourth of its required funding.
This figure marks an reduction from a prior projected gap of 1.7 billion dollars reported in spring.
Excluded Funding
The budget projections do not include a further 1.1 billion dollars in expected funding from current negotiations with multiple donors.
The representative for the organization stated that the current unfunded portion of the biennial budget is actually smaller than in previous periods, crediting this to multiple factors:
- A smaller total budget
- The launch of a fresh donor outreach campaign
- Higher in member states' required contributions
The realignment process is now approaching its end, allowing the organization to progress with a renewed operational model.
