The World Health Organization is facing its most significant restructuring in history, with plans to reduce its global workforce by nearly a quarter following the United States' decision to withdraw from the international body.
Unprecedented Staff Reductions
The Geneva-based agency projects its workforce will shrink by 2,371 posts by June 2026, representing up to 22% of its current staffing levels. This dramatic downsizing comes directly from the financial impact of the US withdrawal, which was initiated by the Trump administration in January.
According to internal documents, the WHO's workforce will decrease from 9,401 positions in January 2025 to just over 7,000 by mid-2026. The reductions will come through a combination of job cuts, retirements, and natural staff departures. The organisation confirmed this does not include the many temporary staff and consultants who have already been made redundant.
Financial Impact of US Withdrawal
Washington had been the WHO's largest financial backer, contributing approximately 18% of its overall funding. The departure has created a substantial financial shortfall that the organisation is struggling to manage.
The slides prepared for member states reveal the WHO now faces a $1.06 billion hole in its 2026-2027 budget, representing nearly a quarter of the total required. This marks an improvement from the estimated $1.7 billion gap identified in May, but still presents serious challenges for the agency's operations.
Organisational Restructuring and Response
In a message to staff seen by Reuters, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described this year as "one of the most difficult in WHO's history." He acknowledged the "painful but necessary process of prioritisation and realignment" that has led to significant workforce reductions.
"We are now preparing to move forward with our reshaped and renewed Organization," Dr Tedros added, indicating that the restructuring process is nearing completion. The agency has already cut its management team by half and scaled back numerous programmes in response to the funding crisis.
A WHO spokesperson noted that the portion of the two-year budget currently unfunded is actually lower than in previous years, attributing this to a smaller overall budget, the launch of a new fundraising round, and an increase in member states' mandatory fees.
