Funding for WHO gets to its lowest level in fifteen years

(MENAFN) Global health financing has dropped to its lowest point in 15 years as the United States and several European nations scale back foreign aid, raising concerns among health experts about the world’s preparedness for future pandemics, according to reports.

US President Donald Trump, who rejoined the White House in January, has withdrawn the US from the World Health Organization (WHO) and cut major health programs. Nine European countries, including some of the bloc’s top donors, have also reduced foreign aid, citing defense and economic priorities.

Estimates from the Seattle-based Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation indicate global health funding fell from $80 billion in 2021 to under $40 billion this year. The US cut its contribution by 67% (over $9 billion), while the UK and France reduced their aid by roughly 40% and 33%, respectively.

“There’s not a lot one can see geopolitically that would give people confidence that this is a great moment for cooperation,” Thomas Bollyky, director of global health at the Council on Foreign Relations, said.
The Trump administration’s skepticism toward the UN and WHO has accelerated a retreat from global cooperation. On his first day back in office, Trump announced the US would end its $640 million annual contribution to WHO, with the withdrawal set to take effect in January.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the sudden exit “should have allowed an exit strategy” and said it has already resulted in deaths. The agency’s budget over the next two years has been slashed by 20%, forcing the layoff of around 600 staff in Geneva—the largest downsizing in WHO’s history. Tedros noted that although some countries increased their contributions to offset losses, “the hole left behind remains too large.” WHO aims to have 50% of its budget funded through mandatory member dues by 2031 to reduce reliance on any single donor.

The US has also cut $300 million in annual support to Gavi, the vaccine alliance, and made no new pledges to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria. Health advocates warn these cuts could reverse decades of progress, with Bill Gates stating that the annual number of child deaths could rise for the first time in 25 years. Reports from Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of the Congo linked deaths to suspended US aid programs, though Secretary of State Marco Rubio rejected these claims, arguing the cuts are necessary to end a “culture of dependency.”

The administration’s America First Global Health Strategy emphasizes working directly with foreign governments rather than intermediary organizations, stressing that “aid will not continue forever.” Despite criticism of international institutions, Health Secretary Robert F.

Kennedy Jr. has cooperated with WHO on limited projects, including evacuating Palestinian children with cancer from Gaza, while also calling for “radical reform” of the agency.

Other nations, including Argentina, Italy, Hungary, and Russia, have expressed interest in following the US lead and reducing engagement with WHO. Gavi CEO Sania Nishtar noted donor fatigue had begun prior to Trump’s return, leading to a 24% workforce reduction and $9 billion in pledges for 2025, below the $12 billion target. To cope, Gavi and organizations like the Global Fund are merging operations and cutting costs to maximize efficiency.

African nations are also working toward financial independence. At a recent summit in Ghana, leaders pledged to increase domestic health investments and diversify funding sources.

Tedros highlighted this shift as a potential long-term benefit, saying, “Countries are now waking up and saying: ‘OK, I have to mobilize domestic resources.’”

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