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This international public health organization revealed plans to cut its workforce by nearly a fourth – totaling over two thousand jobs – by mid-2026.

Funding Crisis Triggers Substantial Restructuring

The move comes after the US, previously the organization's biggest donor, withdrew funding earlier this year.

The US government had been contributing approximately 18% of the agency's overall funding, creating a substantial financial gap.

Expected Staff Reductions

According to internal estimates, the staff will decrease from 9,401 posts in January 2025 to around seven thousand and thirty by mid-2026.

The decrease of two thousand three hundred and seventy-one positions includes job cuts, employees retiring, and regular departures.

"The past year was one of the most difficult in WHO's history, while we have navigated a painful but essential process of prioritization and realignment," stated the organization's leader.

Financial Shortfall Persists

The Switzerland-headquartered body now confronts a funding gap of $1.06bn for the 2026-2027 period, representing nearly a fourth of its total budget.

This figure represents an improvement from a prior projected shortfall of $1.7bn reported in May.

Excluded Funding

These financial projections exclude a further 1.1 billion dollars in expected funding from current discussions with various donors.

The representative for the agency noted that the current unsecured portion of the budget is in fact lower than in earlier periods, attributing this to several factors:

• A smaller overall budget
• The launch of a fresh fundraising campaign
• An increase in participating countries' required fees

This restructuring initiative is now approaching its end, paving the way for the organization to progress with a renewed structure.