Geneva: The World Health Organisation (WHO) is set to cut over 2,000 jobs by mid-2026 as it restructures following the United States’ withdrawal, while facing a significant budget shortfall.
According to internal slides prepared for member states, the Geneva-based agency expects to reduce 2,371 positions from its January 2025 staffing level of 9,401 due to job cuts, retirements and natural attrition. A spokesperson confirmed the figures, noting the organisation’s workforce could shrink by up to 22 percent, depending on whether vacant roles are filled.
The downsizing follows Washington’s withdrawal from the agency after President Donald Trump took office, prompting WHO to dramatically scale back its operations and halve its management team. The US traditionally contributes about 18 percent of WHO’s total funding, the largest share of any member state.
While WHO acknowledged earlier this year that hundreds of employees had already departed, this is the first full assessment of the expected scale of the reduction. The projections exclude temporary staff and consultants, many of whom have also been dismissed, according to UN sources.
Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated that, “This year has been one of the most difficult in WHO’s history.”
The agency is also grappling with a significant budget gap. Its 2026–2027 programme shows a $1.06 billion shortfall, nearly a quarter of its total financial requirement, though improved from a $1.7 billion deficit estimated in May.
WHO said the gap is smaller compared with previous years due to a reduced overall budget, increased mandatory fees from member states and the launch of a new fundraising effort. The figures do not include around $1.1 billion in expected contributions currently under negotiation.
The organisation’s leadership is expected to brief member states on the staffing and budget projections as it pushes forward with restructuring efforts in a transformed funding landscape.
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