WHO Faces Major Staff Reduction After US Funding Pullout
The global public health organization has announced plans to reduce its staff by nearly a fourth – amounting to over two thousand jobs – before mid-2026.
Financial Crisis Prompts Major Restructuring
This decision comes following the US, formerly the agency's biggest contributor, pulled out financial support earlier this period.
Washington had been responsible for about 18% of the organization's total funding, causing a significant budgetary shortfall.
Expected Workforce Reductions
Based on internal estimates, the workforce is expected to drop from nine thousand four hundred and one posts in January 2025 to around 7,030 by June 2026.
The reduction of 2,371 posts comprises staff reductions, retirements, and regular departures.
"This year was among the toughest in WHO's history, as we undertook a challenging but essential process of prioritisation and realignment," commented the agency's director-general.
Budget Shortfall Persists
This Switzerland-headquartered organization now confronts a budget shortfall of 1.06 billion dollars for the upcoming period, amounting to almost a quarter of its required budget.
This figure represents an improvement from a prior projected gap of 1.7 billion dollars noted in May.
Excluded Finances
These budget calculations exclude an additional $1.1bn in expected funding from current negotiations with various donors.
The spokesperson for the organization stated that the current unfunded portion of the biennial budget is actually lower than in previous years, crediting this to multiple factors:
- A smaller overall budget size
- The launch of a fresh donor outreach effort
- Higher in participating countries' required fees
The restructuring initiative is currently approaching its completion, allowing the agency to move forward with a reshaped operational model.
