Mon Feb 03 07:33:54 UTC 2025: ## WHO Faces Funding Crisis After US Withdrawal
**Geneva, February 3, 2025** – The World Health Organization (WHO) is facing a severe funding crisis following the United States’ withdrawal from the agency, according to internal documents and meeting recordings obtained by the Associated Press. The US, WHO’s largest donor, contributed an estimated $988 million in 2024-2025, representing roughly 14% of the organization’s budget. This funding shortfall jeopardizes numerous critical health programs globally.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus urged global leaders to pressure the US government to reverse its decision, highlighting the loss of crucial information on global disease outbreaks as a major consequence. He refuted the reasons cited by President Trump for the withdrawal, asserting that the WHO had acted swiftly on COVID-19 and implemented significant reforms.
Internal WHO documents reveal a “heavy reliance” on US funding for emergency response programs, with some initiatives, such as readiness functions in the European office, more than 80% dependent on American contributions. The US withdrawal threatens responses to health crises in the Middle East, Ukraine, and Sudan, and significantly impacts programs for polio eradication, HIV, and tuberculosis.
WHO’s finance director, George Kyriacou, warned of a potential “hand-to-mouth” cash flow situation in the first half of 2026 if spending continues at the current rate. The organization is also facing a deficit due to outstanding US contributions for 2024. Furthermore, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has been instructed to cease collaboration with the WHO.
While Dr. Tedros confirmed that the WHO continues to share some data with US scientists, German envoy Bjorn Kummel described the situation as “the most extensive crisis WHO has been facing in the past decades,” prompting questions from other member states about specific plans to mitigate the funding gap and potential program cuts. Internal WHO documents suggest drastic cuts to various departments as a potential solution.
Despite the severity of the crisis, some experts see an opportunity for reshaping global public health. They point out that the US contribution to WHO represents less than 1% of its national health budget, while the benefits to the US, including critical intelligence on global disease outbreaks, are substantial. The situation highlights the crucial role of international collaboration in global health security.
First Piper 