The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that its workforce will shrink by nearly a quarter over 2,000 jobs by mid-2026 as part of a broad reform effort following the United States’ departure as its top donor. The U.S. withdrew from the agency in January, prompting WHO to scale back programs and halve its management team. Washington had contributed roughly 18% of WHO’s funding, making its exit a major financial blow. The Geneva-based agency projects its staff will decline from 9,401 in January 2025 to 7,030 by June 2026, factoring in job cuts, retirements, and departures. Temporary staff and consultants affected are not fully included in these figures.
Why It Matters
The workforce reduction reflects a period of financial strain and organizational restructuring for WHO, which faces a $1.06 billion shortfall in its 2026–2027 budget, about a quarter of the total required. The cuts could impact the agency’s global operations, its capacity to respond to health emergencies, and ongoing public health initiatives, particularly in low- and middle-income countries that rely heavily on WHO programs. Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the downsizing as a “painful but necessary” prioritization process to prepare the organization for a renewed focus and more sustainable operations.
The main stakeholders are WHO staff, member states funding the organization, and the global population that relies on WHO’s programs for health guidance, disease prevention, and crisis response. Donor countries, particularly the United States, play a significant role in shaping the agency’s financial stability. Leadership and management teams within WHO are tasked with implementing the reforms while minimizing disruption to global health services.
What’s Next
WHO will continue implementing its staff reductions while seeking to fill vacant positions strategically. The agency is also launching a fundraising round to cover part of the remaining budget gap, with additional contributions from member states expected to stabilize funding. Over the coming year, WHO aims to operate with a leaner workforce while maintaining core health initiatives and strengthening long-term organizational resilience.
With information from Reuters.
