The World Health Organization will reduce expenses and reassess which health programs to prioritize following the US’s announcement of its departure, the organization’s chief conveyed to staff in an internal memo.
On the first day of his second term, US President Donald Trump declared the withdrawal, accusing the global health agency of mishandling the Covid-19 pandemic and other international health emergencies.
“This announcement has intensified our financial situation,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus stated in a memo to staff dated 23 January.
The memo indicated that the agency intends to significantly lower travel costs and suspend recruitment as part of various cost-cutting initiatives.
The United Nations confirmed yesterday that the US is set to withdraw from the WHO on 22 January 2026.
The United States is the WHO’s largest financial supporter, contributing approximately 18% of its total funding.
The most recent two-year budget for the WHO, covering 2024-2025, amounted to $6.8 billion.
The memo mentioned that the WHO has already begun efforts to reform the organization and change its funding structure, with member states raising their mandatory fees and participating in its investment round initiated last year.
However, it noted that additional funding will be necessary and that expenses must also be reduced concurrently.
This would involve making all meetings virtual by default unless otherwise approved, limiting the replacement of IT equipment, and pausing office renovations unless related to safety or already approved cost-saving measures.
“This set of actions is not exhaustive, and further announcements will follow in due course,” the memo states, adding that the Geneva-based WHO is committed to doing everything possible to support and safeguard its staff.
“As always, I am proud to be part of WHO,” concludes the memo.
Earlier this week, the European Union expressed its concerns regarding President Trump’s announcement about his intention to withdraw from the WHO, with a spokesperson stating that the EU hopes the decision is still under reconsideration.
“We view the United States’s announcement to withdraw from the WHO with concern, and we trust that the US administration will reflect on all these factors before the formal withdrawal,” a spokesperson from the European Commission mentioned during the daily press briefing.
