The global health agency disclosed intentions to reduce its workforce by nearly a quarter – amounting to over two thousand positions – by mid-2026.
Financial Shortfall Prompts Major Restructuring
This move follows after the US, previously the agency's biggest contributor, withdrew financial support previously this year.
Washington had been contributing about eighteen percent of the organization's total funding, causing a significant budgetary gap.
Expected Workforce Cuts
According to internal projections, the workforce will decrease from 9,401 posts in January 2025 to around 7,030 by mid-2026.
This decrease of two thousand three hundred and seventy-one posts includes staff reductions, employees retiring, and natural attrition.
"This year was among the most difficult in our history, as we undertook a painful but essential journey of prioritisation and restructuring," stated the agency's leader.
Budget Gap Persists
The Geneva-based organization now confronts a funding shortfall of 1.06 billion dollars for the upcoming period, amounting to almost a quarter of its total funding.
The figure marks an reduction from a previous estimated gap of $1.7bn noted in May.
Not Included Finances
The financial calculations exclude a further $1.1bn in expected funding from ongoing discussions with multiple contributors.
The representative for the agency stated that the current unfunded part of the budget is actually smaller than in earlier years, crediting this to several factors:
- A smaller overall budget size
- The launch of a new fundraising campaign
- An increase in member states' mandatory contributions
The restructuring process is currently nearing its completion, paving the way for the organization to move forward with a renewed structure.
