World Health Organization Faces Major Workforce Reduction After United States Funding Withdrawal
The global health agency disclosed intentions to cut its workforce by almost a fourth – amounting to over two thousand positions – by the middle of 2026.
Funding Crisis Triggers Major Reorganization
This decision comes after the US, previously the agency's biggest donor, withdrew funding previously this year.
Washington was responsible for about eighteen percent of the organization's total budget, causing a substantial budgetary gap.
Projected Staff Cuts
Based on internal projections, the staff is expected to drop from 9,401 posts in early 2025 to around 7,030 by mid-2026.
The reduction of 2,371 posts includes staff reductions, employees retiring, and natural departures.
"This year was one of the toughest in our existence, while we have navigated a painful but necessary process of prioritisation and restructuring," commented the organization's director-general.
Budget Shortfall Persists
This Geneva-based organization currently faces a funding gap of $1.06bn for the upcoming period, amounting to nearly a quarter of its total budget.
This amount marks an improvement from a prior projected gap of 1.7 billion dollars noted in May.
Excluded Funding
These financial projections do not include a further $1.1bn in expected contributions from ongoing discussions with multiple donors.
A spokesperson for the agency stated that the present unfunded part of the biennial budget is actually lower than in previous years, crediting this to multiple reasons:
- A smaller overall budget
- Initiation of a new donor outreach campaign
- An increase in participating countries' mandatory fees
The realignment process is now approaching its end, paving the way for the agency to move forward with a renewed operational model.
