US EditionWHO Chief Sees US Exit as Chance to Reshape Amid Funding Gap
WHO director-general Tedros calls for higher assessed fees from member states to fill a $260 million gap left by the US withdrawal, aiming for fees to cover half the budget.
- On Feb 2, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the dramatic cuts of 2025 as the United States headed for the exit created the chance to build a leaner, re-focused WHO.
- The funding shock followed Washington's one-year withdrawal notice and unpaid 2024–2025 dues, leaving the WHO with a US$260 million shortfall and slashed management teams.
- WHO reductions have produced staff losses and program strain, with more than a thousand departures and plans for about 25% workforce reductions by mid-2026 risking disruptions in Nigeria, Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
- Meanwhile, China's payments and a $500 million pledge indicate efforts to fill WHO funding gaps, aiming for membership fees to cover 50 percent of the budget, said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
- The US departure is widening a governance gap, as experts warn weaker outbreak detection and emergency response in Africa may cause delayed care and higher mortality, especially for women and children.
32 Articles
32 Articles
The World Health Organization (WHO) went through one of the most difficult periods in its history last year with the announcement of the withdrawal of its main contributor, the United States, the opportunity to refocus on its priorities, estimated its Director General on Monday.
Africa: U.S. Exit From the World Health Organization Marks a New Era in Global Health Policy - Here's What the U.S., and World, Will Lose
Analysis - The U.S. departure from the World Health Organization became official in late January 2026, according to the Trump administration - a year after President Donald Trump signed an executive order on inauguration day of his second term declaring that he was doing so. He first stated his intention to do so during his first term in 2020, early in the COVID-19 pandemic.
From charity to connectivity: China remaking global public health
The United States’ official departure from the World Health Organization in January 2026 creates a profound vacuum in global health governance. While news cycles focus on the immediate financial crisis—a US$260 million funding gap and management teams cut in half—the deeper shift is structural. As Washington retreats, Beijing is not merely filling a seat; it […] The post From charity to connectivity: China remaking global public health appeared …
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