WHO to cut 22% of staff by 2026 after US exit triggers funding crisis

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
Today 08:41

The WHO begins major downsizing after the US abruptly pulls funding, leaving a $1 billion shortfall and forcing deep cuts to global health operations.

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The logo of the World Health Organization is seen at the WHO headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, June 11, 2019 (AP)

The World Health Organization is preparing to cut nearly a quarter of its staff by mid-2026, following the United States’ decision to halt funding, a move that has forced the health agency into rapid restructuring and deep cost reductions.

The cuts follow US President Donald Trump’s withdrawal from the organization upon taking office in January. Washington has long been the WHO’s largest contributor, providing roughly 18% of its total budget, and its departure has left the agency scrambling to reshape its operations while sharply curtailing spending. The management team has already been cut by half.

According to a presentation due to be shown to member states on Wednesday, the WHO’s workforce will drop from 9,401 in January 2025 to 2,371 fewer positions by June 2026. The figure includes retirements and natural departures but does not account for large numbers of consultants and temporary workers that UN officials say have already been dismissed.

Up to 22% of staff expected to depart

A WHO spokesperson confirmed the scale of the reduction, saying the organization expected staffing to shrink by “up to 22%,” depending on how many currently vacant posts are left unfilled.

While WHO disclosed earlier this year that hundreds of personnel had already departed, this is the first time the organization has provided a full projection of the global downsizing.

“This year has been one of the most difficult in WHO’s history, as we have navigated a painful but necessary process of prioritisation and realignment that has resulted in a significant reduction in our global workforce,” Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a message to staff on Tuesday.

WHO leadership says restructuring nearly complete

He added, “We are now preparing to move forward with our reshaped and renewed Organization.”

Financial documents show the agency is also facing a major budget deficit. WHO’s 2026–27 budget currently contains a $1.06 billion shortfall, nearly one-quarter of the total needed, though this marks an improvement from a $1.7 billion estimated gap earlier this year.

The projection does not include around $1.1 billion in expected funding from agreements still under negotiation.

Agency still faces a funding gap, but smaller than before

A WHO spokesperson noted that the share of the two-year budget that remains unfunded is now lower than in previous years.

The improvement, they said, can be attributed to the reduced budget envelope, a fresh fundraising drive, and increased mandatory contributions from member states.

The job losses underscore the enormous impact of the US withdrawal on the UN Health Agency, which has been forced to rethink its global footprint and core programming as it charts a path forward without its most formidable donor.