WHO may have to cut more than $1 billion in budget

AFP reported on March 30 that the World Health Organization (WHO) is considering cutting spending by one-fifth, amid disruptions in funding.

In a message to WHO staff, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the organization is losing up to $600 million due to reduced funding from countries, leaving it with no choice but to cut its budget, according to AFP. The WHO is proposing a 21% reduction in its 2026-2027 budget, from $5.3 billion to $4.2 billion. In addition, the WHO is also considering staff cuts.

On March 29, Reuters cited a statement from the WHO, stating that the US withdrawal decision, along with some countries reducing funding for the WHO to increase defense spending, has made the financial situation at the organization more difficult. A WHO representative has not officially commented on the incident.

US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the WHO has significantly impacted the budget for this health organization. In addition, the US government has also frozen many foreign aid sources, including funding for global health projects.

The United States is by far the largest donor to the WHO, contributing about 18 percent of its total funding. The bulk of U.S. funding comes from voluntary contributions for specific projects, rather than fixed membership fees.

Shortly after Trump took office and announced his withdrawal from the WHO, the organization’s executive board proposed cutting its 2026-2027 budget from $5.3 billion to $4.9 billion. However, the latest assessments have forced the WHO to cut even further, to $4.2 billion.

“The outlook for development assistance has deteriorated, not just for WHO but for the entire international health ecosystem,” said Mr. Tedros.

In early March, the WHO director-general asked Washington to reconsider its funding cuts, saying that a sudden US turn would endanger the lives of millions of people without access to health programs.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/who-co-the-phai-giam-hon-1-ti-usd-ngan-sach-185250330083136136.htm