🔗 Share this article World Health Organization Faces Major Workforce Cuts Following US Funding Pullout The global public health agency revealed intentions to reduce its staff by almost a quarter – totaling over two thousand positions – by mid-2026. Financial Crisis Prompts Major Reorganization This move comes following the US, formerly the organization's largest contributor, pulled out financial support previously this period. The US government was responsible for about eighteen percent of the organization's total budget, causing a substantial financial gap. Expected Staff Cuts Based on organizational projections, the staff will decrease from nine thousand four hundred and one posts in early 2025 to approximately seven thousand and thirty by June 2026. This reduction of 2,371 posts includes staff reductions, employees retiring, and regular attrition. "The past year was among the toughest in WHO's history, as we undertook a painful but necessary process of prioritisation and restructuring," stated the organization's director-general. Budget Gap Persists This Geneva-based body currently confronts a funding shortfall of 1.06 billion dollars for the 2026-2027 biennium, representing nearly a fourth of its total funding. The figure marks an improvement from a previous projected shortfall of $1.7bn noted in May. Excluded Funding These financial projections exclude an additional 1.1 billion dollars in potential contributions from ongoing discussions with various donors. A spokesperson for the agency noted that the present unfunded portion of the budget is in fact lower than in earlier years, crediting this to several reasons: Reduced total budget size Initiation of a fresh fundraising effort An increase in participating countries' required contributions This realignment initiative is now nearing its end, paving the way for the organization to progress with a renewed structure.