WHO Confronts Major Workforce Cuts After United States Financial Withdrawal
The global public health organization has announced plans to reduce its staff by almost a quarter – amounting to over 2,000 positions – before mid-2026.
Funding Shortfall Triggers Major Reorganization
The decision follows after the US, formerly the organization's largest donor, withdrew funding previously this period.
The US government had been contributing approximately 18% of the organization's overall budget, causing a substantial financial gap.
Projected Staff Cuts
According to internal projections, the workforce is expected to drop from nine thousand four hundred and one posts in January 2025 to approximately seven thousand and thirty by mid-2026.
This reduction of two thousand three hundred and seventy-one positions includes job cuts, employees retiring, and natural departures.
"This year was one of the toughest in WHO's history, as we have navigated a painful but essential process of prioritisation and restructuring," stated the organization's leader.
Budget Gap Persists
The Geneva-based organization now faces a budget shortfall of 1.06 billion dollars for the upcoming biennium, amounting to nearly a fourth of its required funding.
This amount marks an reduction from a prior projected gap of 1.7 billion dollars reported in May.
Not Included Finances
These financial projections exclude an additional $1.1bn in expected contributions from ongoing negotiations with various contributors.
The representative for the agency noted that the present unfunded part of the budget is in fact lower than in previous years, attributing this to several factors:
- Reduced total budget size
- The launch of a fresh fundraising effort
- An increase in participating countries' mandatory fees
The restructuring initiative is now nearing its end, paving the way for the organization to progress with a renewed structure.
