The World Health Organization (WHO) has concluded its annual World Health Assembly with a leaner budget and a fresh round of financial pledges — but the United Nations health agency remains far from meeting its revised funding target for 2026-2027.
Faced with the withdrawal of its largest donor, the United States, the WHO has cut its planned budget for 2026-2027 from $5.3 billion to $4.2 billion. While the new figure was formally approved by member states on Tuesday, a significant funding gap of $1.7 billion still remains.
The agency’s current programme budget for 2024-2025 stands at $6.8 billion, highlighting the scale of financial contraction ahead.
WHO’s Changing Funding Model
Traditionally, WHO budgets operate in two-year cycles. Since its founding in 1948, the agency relied on “assessed contributions” — mandatory membership fees based on a country’s wealth and population. Over time, however, WHO became increasingly dependent on “voluntary contributions” from governments and private entities earmarked for specific projects.
By the 2020–2021 budget cycle, assessed contributions made up just 16% of the organisation’s total budget, leaving it vulnerable to the shifting priorities of major donors.
In response, member states agreed in 2022 to gradually increase assessed contributions to 50% of WHO’s core budget by the 2030-2031 cycle. As part of this plan, member countries approved a 20% increase in membership fees for the 2024-2025 budget and confirmed a second 20% increase at this year’s assembly — expected to generate an additional $90 million annually.
“This approval was a strong vote of confidence in your WHO at this critical time,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus at the assembly’s close.
Pledges Provide Temporary Relief
Ahead of the assembly, a pledging event secured $210 million in new commitments for the 2025-2028 investment cycle, bolstering WHO’s base budget. Notable pledges included $80 million from Switzerland, $57 million from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, $13.5 million from Sweden, and $6 million from Qatar.
“In a challenging climate for global health, these funds will help us preserve and extend our life-saving work,” Tedros said.
WHO Eastern Mediterranean Regional Director Hanan Balkhy confirmed that 60% of the agency’s base budget for 2026-2027 is now secured — a notable achievement given current global economic uncertainties. However, substantial gaps remain.
U.S. Withdrawal Deepens Financial Crisis
Compounding WHO’s financial woes is the absence of the United States, historically its largest donor. Under President Donald Trump’s administration, the U.S. began the process of withdrawing from the WHO in 2020, a move reaffirmed by the current administration, which has also withheld membership fees for 2024 and 2025.
The United States did not send an official delegation to this year’s World Health Assembly. In a pre-recorded message, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. criticized the WHO as “bloated and moribund,” and encouraged other nations to consider forming alternative global health institutions.
Kennedy accused the agency of falling under the undue influence of China, pharmaceutical companies, and what he termed “gender ideology.”
Organizational Restructuring Underway
Facing tough financial realities, the WHO has begun restructuring. Its executive management team will be cut from 14 to seven positions, while the number of departments will shrink from 76 to 34. Unlike other UN agencies, the WHO has not yet announced large-scale layoffs.
The financial tightening marks one of the most challenging periods for the WHO in recent decades, as it seeks to navigate global health crises and maintain its core operations amid shrinking resources.
