WHO Faces Major Workforce Reduction Following United States Funding Pullout
This global health agency has announced plans to reduce its workforce by almost a fourth – amounting to more than 2,000 positions – before the middle of 2026.
Funding Shortfall Prompts Major Restructuring
This decision comes after the US, previously the organization's biggest contributor, withdrew financial support earlier this year.
Washington had been contributing about 18% of the organization's overall funding, causing a substantial budgetary gap.
Expected Workforce Cuts
According to internal estimates, the staff will decrease from nine thousand four hundred and one posts in January 2025 to approximately seven thousand and thirty by mid-2026.
The reduction of 2,371 positions comprises staff reductions, employees retiring, and natural attrition.
"The past year was among the toughest in our existence, as we undertook a painful but necessary journey of prioritization and restructuring," stated the organization's director-general.
Budget Shortfall Persists
The Switzerland-headquartered body now faces a budget shortfall of 1.06 billion dollars for the upcoming biennium, representing almost a quarter of its total budget.
The figure represents an improvement from a previous projected gap of $1.7bn reported in May.
Not Included Funding
The budget calculations exclude a further 1.1 billion dollars in potential contributions from ongoing discussions with multiple donors.
A representative for the agency noted that the current unsecured part of the budget is in fact lower than in previous years, attributing this to multiple factors:
- A smaller overall budget
- The launch of a fresh donor outreach campaign
- An increase in member states' mandatory contributions
The realignment process is now approaching its end, paving the way for the agency to progress with a reshaped operational model.
