Global health funding faces 'greatest disruption' in memory, says WHO director

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization. Picture: Salvatore Di Nolfi/Keystone via AP.

Global health funding faces historic challenges as donor countries reduce their contributions, the director of the World Health Organization said on Thursday.

US President Donald Trump's administration withdrew from the WHO upon taking office in January, saying the health agency had mishandled the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises. 

The US is by far the UN health agency's biggest financial backer, contributing around 18% of its overall funding.

"We are living through the greatest disruption to global health financing in memory," Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters at WHO headquarters in Geneva.

The WHO revised downwards its budget after the U.S.'s withdrawal exacerbated a funding crisis due to member states reducing their development spending.

Faced with an income gap of nearly $600 million this year, the WHO has proposed slashing its budget for 2026-27 by 21% from $5.3 billion to $4.2 billion, and reducing staff numbers, according to an internal memo seen by Reuters.

"It is of course very painful," the director added, warning that the cuts would have significant impact on the health of people around the world.