WHO preparing to cut more than 2,000 jobs by mid-2026 after US backed out

The downsizing at the World Health Organization is part of a wider restructuring effort after the US decides to withdraw as its largest contributor

The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday (local time) said its workforce will shrink by nearly 25 per cent, more than 2,000 positions,  by mid-next year, Reuters reported.

 

The downsizing is part of a wider restructuring effort after the US decides to withdraw as its largest contributor. After US President Donald Trump took office in January this year, his administration withdrew from the WHO and prompted the agency to scale back its operations and eliminate half of its management team.

 

Washington is by far the biggest financial backer of the WHO, contributing nearly 18 per cent of its overall funding.

 

Massive reductions in the workforce

 

The Geneva-based health agency projects that its workforce will be reduced from 9,401 posts in January 2025 to 2,371 posts in June 2026.

 

According to Reuters, these reductions will include job cuts, retirements, and departures, the report stated, citing a presentation that will be shown to its member states on Wednesday. This figure excludes numerous temporary employees and consultants who, according to UN sources, have already been let go, the report said. 

 

A WHO spokesperson confirmed the overall number of staff departures and noted that the organisation’s workforce could decline by as much as 22 per cent, depending on how many vacant roles are eventually filled.

 

Earlier in August, the UN health agency said that hundreds of staff had departed from the organisation. However, this is the first time that it has given the full scale of the expected change that will impact its global staff.  ALSO READ | Anthropic's valuation hits $350 bn as Microsoft, Nvidia seal major AI deal 

What did Tedros say?

 

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

 

He further said that the UN agency is now preparing to move forward with a reshaped and renewed organisation.

 

WHO facing shortfall in 202-27 budget

 

The presentation indicated that the Geneva-based agency is facing a $1.06 billion shortfall in its 2026–27 budget, roughly one-quarter of the total requirement, an improvement from the earlier projected deficit of $1.7 billion in May.

 

This figure does not include around $1.1 billion in anticipated contributions tied to agreements still under negotiation, the slides noted, without providing further information.

 

Citing a WHO spokesperson, the report stated that the share of the organisation's two-year budget that remains unfunded is smaller compared to the past cycles. The improvement has been attributed to certain factors like reduced overall budget, the start of a new fundraising effort, and higher compulsory contributions from member states.