🔗 Share this article WHO Faces Significant Staff Reduction Following United States Financial Withdrawal This international health agency disclosed plans to reduce its workforce by nearly a fourth – amounting to more than two thousand positions – by the middle of 2026. Financial Shortfall Triggers Substantial Restructuring This decision follows after the United States, previously the agency's biggest contributor, pulled out funding previously this year. The US government was responsible for about 18% of the organization's total funding, creating a significant budgetary gap. Expected Staff Cuts According to organizational projections, the staff will decrease from nine thousand four hundred and one positions in early 2025 to approximately seven thousand and thirty by mid-2026. This decrease of 2,371 positions includes job cuts, employees retiring, and regular departures. "The past year has been one of the most difficult in our existence, as we have navigated a painful but essential process of prioritization and realignment," commented the agency's director-general. Budget Shortfall Remains This Geneva-based organization now confronts a budget shortfall of $1.06bn for the 2026-2027 biennium, amounting to nearly a fourth of its total budget. This figure represents an improvement from a prior estimated gap of $1.7bn noted in May. Not Included Finances The financial projections exclude a further 1.1 billion dollars in potential funding from current negotiations with various contributors. A spokesperson for the agency noted that the current unsecured portion of the biennial budget is in fact lower than in earlier years, attributing this to several factors: Reduced total budget The launch of a fresh donor outreach effort Higher in participating countries' required fees The realignment process is currently nearing its completion, allowing the organization to progress with a renewed operational model.