People in over 70 countries missing out on medical care amid funding cuts - WHO

The World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Monday that people in over 70 countries are being denied access to medical care due to significant funding cuts to aid programmes adding that it is also grappling with serious financial difficulties.

"Patients are missing treatments, health facilities have shut down, health workers have lost their jobs, and people are facing rising out-of-pocket costs," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus during his address to the World Health Assembly.

The WHO is currently facing a $600 million shortfall in its annual budget, with projected cuts of 21% over the upcoming two-year period.

Starting Monday, hundreds of WHO officials are gathering with donors and diplomats in Geneva to discuss how to manage public health crises—ranging from mpox to cholera—without the support of their primary funder, the United States.

With the U.S. set to withdraw from the organization, China is expected to become the largest contributor of assessed contributions, one of the WHO’s key sources of funding alongside voluntary donations.

“Numerous ministers have told me that abrupt and steep reductions in bilateral aid are severely disrupting their countries and threatening the health of millions,” Tedros said.

He urged countries to increase investment in global health, especially as military spending continues to rise. “Nations spend enormous sums defending against military threats, yet relatively little on guarding against an invisible enemy that can inflict far greater harm,” he said.

The WHO has revised its budget for the next two years to $4.2 billion—or $2.1 billion annually.

“To put that in perspective, $2.1 billion equals global military spending every eight hours,” Tedros told delegates.

He added that the organization has already begun scaling back its workforce, budget, and operations, including cutting half of its senior leadership team last week.