🔗 Share this article World Health Organization Confronts Major Workforce Reduction After US Funding Pullout The international health agency revealed plans to reduce its workforce by almost a fourth – amounting to over 2,000 jobs – before mid-2026. Financial Crisis Triggers Substantial Reorganization This move follows following the United States, previously the organization's largest contributor, withdrew financial support previously this year. Washington was responsible for approximately 18% of the agency's total budget, causing a significant budgetary shortfall. Projected Staff Reductions According to organizational estimates, the staff will decrease from 9,401 posts in January 2025 to approximately seven thousand and thirty by mid-2026. The reduction of two thousand three hundred and seventy-one posts includes job cuts, employees retiring, and regular departures. "This year was one of the toughest in WHO's existence, while we undertook a challenging but essential process of prioritization and restructuring," stated the organization's director-general. Budget Gap Remains The Geneva-based organization now faces a budget shortfall of 1.06 billion dollars for the 2026-2027 biennium, representing nearly a fourth of its total funding. This figure marks an improvement from a previous estimated shortfall of 1.7 billion dollars reported in May. Excluded Funding These financial projections exclude an additional 1.1 billion dollars in expected contributions from current discussions with multiple contributors. A representative for the agency stated that the present unfunded part of the budget is in fact lower than in previous years, crediting this to several reasons: A smaller overall budget size Initiation of a new fundraising campaign An increase in participating countries' required fees The realignment process is currently nearing its end, allowing the agency to move forward with a reshaped operational model.