WHO Plans 22% Staff Cuts By 2026 As US Withdrawal Sparks Budget Crisis

By Staff, Agencies

The World Health Organization plans to cut nearly a quarter of its workforce by mid-2026 after the United States halted its funding, pushing the agency into urgent restructuring and major cost reductions.

The cuts come after US President Donald Trump withdrew funding in January. As the WHO’s largest contributor, providing about 18% of its budget, the US exit has forced the agency to overhaul operations and slash spending, with management already reduced by half.

A WHO presentation to member states on Wednesday shows the workforce dropping by 2,371 positions—from 9,401 in January 2025 to mid-2026—excluding retirees, natural departures, and already dismissed consultants and temporary staff.

A WHO spokesperson confirmed the scale of the reduction, saying the organization expected staffing to shrink by “up to 22%,” depending on how many currently vacant posts are left unfilled.

While WHO disclosed earlier this year that hundreds of personnel had already departed, this is the first time the organization has provided a full projection of the global downsizing.

“This year has been one of the most difficult in WHO’s history, as we have navigated a painful but necessary process of prioritization and realignment that has resulted in a significant reduction in our global workforce,” Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a message to staff on Tuesday.

He added, “We are now preparing to move forward with our reshaped and renewed Organization.”

Financial documents show WHO faces a $1.06 billion shortfall in its 2026–27 budget—nearly a quarter of the total—down from an earlier $1.7 billion gap.

The projection does not include around $1.1 billion in expected funding from agreements still under negotiation.

A WHO spokesperson noted that the share of the two-year budget that remains unfunded is now lower than in previous years.

The improvement, they said, can be attributed to the reduced budget envelope, a fresh fundraising drive, and increased mandatory contributions from member states.

The job losses underscore the enormous impact of the US withdrawal on the UN health agency, which has been forced to rethink its global footprint and core programming as it charts a path forward without its most formidable donor.