Geneva, Switzerland — The World Health Organization expects its global workforce to shrink by nearly 22% by mid-2026, a reduction of more than 2,300 jobs, as the agency restructures following the United States’ withdrawal as its largest financial supporter, according to reporting from The Guardian. The organization said the move reflects ongoing reforms and major budget pressures after Washington ended its membership when President Donald Trump took office in January.
The U.S. previously contributed roughly 18% of WHO’s total funding, making it the agency’s single largest donor. With its departure, WHO has scaled back major initiatives and reduced its senior management team by half. A presentation prepared for member states shows that WHO’s workforce is on track to fall from 9,401 positions in January 2025 to 7,030 by June 2026 through job cuts, retirements, and voluntary departures. The figure does not include temporary staff or consultants, who UN sources say have already been dismissed.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told staff the organization has endured “one of the most difficult” years in its history, describing the restructuring as “painful but necessary” to stabilize operations. He said WHO is preparing to move forward with a “reshaped and renewed” structure.
The agency still faces a $1.06 billion shortfall for its 2026–2027 budget, though the gap has narrowed from earlier estimates. WHO officials attribute the improvement to a reduced budget, new fundraising efforts, and higher mandatory member-state contributions.
Sources:
Discover more from News Facts Network
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
