WHO Faces Critical Funding Shortages Amid Global Health Crises

The World Health Organization's (WHO) emergencies department faces critical funding shortages as it contends with a rising number of global health crises, according to an independent report released ahead of the WHO’s annual meeting in Geneva, Switzerland. 

The report highlights emergency funds needed to pay staff salaries and emphasizes the need for stronger national preparedness. The WHO's emergencies program responded to 72 crises in 2023, including earthquakes and conflicts, with a US$411 million funding gap. Member states are set to discuss reforms to address the program’s funding challenges. 

The report, released ahead of the WHO’s annual meeting in Geneva this week, highlights that the emergencies department required emergency funds to cover staff salaries at the end of last year and may need further assistance up to June.

“More numerous natural disasters and conflicts in fragile states pose existential threats to the performance of the emergencies program,”  the document reads.

The independent oversight committee, which evaluated the WHO’s emergencies department, stressed the need for countries to enhance their preparedness efforts. The report warns that without increased capacity in countries, the WHO’s emergencies program "will be obliged to cut back critical activities." The committee recommended that the WHO improve its transfer of responsibilities to national authorities to better manage increased demands.

The report warns that the emergencies program faces potential cutbacks in critical activities unless there is increased capacity building in member states. Last year, the program encountered a critical funding gap of US$411 million, roughly a third of its total budget, despite the WHO's overall budget being relatively well-funded.