The World Health Organization has announced that its workforce will shrink by nearly a quarter, with more than 2,000 jobs set to be cut by mid-2026, following the withdrawal of its largest donor, the United States.
The Geneva-based agency said it expects to lose 2,371 posts by June 2026, down from 9,401 in January 2025, due to job cuts, retirements and departures. The reduction, which does not include temporary staff or consultants, was disclosed in a presentation to member states on Wednesday.
The US, which contributed approximately 18% of the WHO's funding, began its departure from the organisation in January under President Donald Trump's administration. A WHO spokesperson confirmed the scale of the staffing reduction, noting the workforce could shrink by up to 22% depending on how many vacant posts are filled.
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the year as "one of the most difficult in WHO's history", citing a "painful but necessary process of prioritisation and realignment" that had led to a significant reduction in the global workforce. He added that the process was nearing an end, with the organisation preparing to move forward in a reshaped form.
The WHO also faces a $1.06bn shortfall in its 2026-2027 budget, nearly a quarter of the total required, though this is down from an estimated $1.7bn gap in May. The figure excludes $1.1bn in expected funding from deals at various stages of negotiation. A spokesperson said the unfunded portion was lower than in previous years, attributing this to a smaller budget, a fundraising round and increased mandatory fees from member states.
