Geneva: Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, announced that the agency is facing a major budget gap due to US funding cuts, which will lead to significant reductions in operations and jobs.
According to Qatar News Agency, the sudden decrease in income has created a large salary gap, forcing the WHO to scale down its workforce and operations. Tedros informed member states that the UN health agency has been preparing for US President Donald Trump’s planned full withdrawal of the United States, its largest donor, in January.
The refusal of the US to pay its assessed contributions for 2024 and 2025, coupled with cuts in official development assistance by other countries, has resulted in a projected salary gap for the 2026-2027 biennium ranging from 560 million to 650 million. Tedros emphasized that the most significant impact would likely be felt at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, with reductions starting in senior management.
Tedros highlighted that the senior leadership team at headquarters would be reduced from 12 to seven members, and the number of departments would decrease significantly from 76 to 34. Despite these measures, he noted the necessity for the WHO to focus on its core functions, acknowledging that many countries require support now more than ever.
The US administration’s decision to significantly cut back on its foreign aid arm, USAid, and freeze nearly all assistance, including health projects globally, has had a severe impact on developing countries, according to Tedros.