WHO plans to cut annual budget amid US withdrawal

The World Health Organization (WHO) is considering slashing its annual budget by more than 20% due to a funding shortfall caused by the United States’ decision to withdraw from the organisation.

Journalists gained access to an internal email from WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, which reveals that the organisation’s revenue has fallen by approximately $600 million since the beginning of 2025, Caliber.Az reports per foreign media.

As a result, the WHO has proposed a further reduced budget of $4.2 billion for its member states, which is 21% lower than the initially suggested amount.

The email highlights that the WHO currently has no choice but to reduce its workforce and scale down its operations. Ghebreyesus stated that the cuts would primarily affect the headquarters, impacting all levels, including senior management.

The organisation has been facing financial challenges even before the US made its decision to leave the WHO, around nine months ago. At that time, leadership began exploring solutions to the problem.

In January of this year, US President Donald Trump signed an executive order formalising the country’s withdrawal from the WHO, accusing the organisation of imposing "unfairly burdensome contributions" on the United States.

By Aghakazim Guliyev