🔗 Share this article WHO Confronts Major Workforce Reduction After US Financial Withdrawal The international public health organization has announced plans to reduce its staff by almost a quarter – totaling more than two thousand jobs – before mid-2026. Financial Crisis Prompts Substantial Restructuring The decision comes after the United States, previously the organization's biggest donor, withdrew funding earlier this year. The US government had been responsible for about eighteen percent of the agency's total budget, causing a substantial financial shortfall. Expected Workforce Reductions According to organizational estimates, the staff is expected to drop from 9,401 posts in early 2025 to approximately seven thousand and thirty by June 2026. This reduction of two thousand three hundred and seventy-one posts comprises staff reductions, employees retiring, and regular departures. "This year has been among the most difficult in our existence, as we undertook a painful but essential journey of prioritization and restructuring," stated the agency's leader. Financial Gap Remains The Switzerland-headquartered organization now confronts a budget gap of 1.06 billion dollars for the upcoming period, amounting to almost a quarter of its total budget. The figure marks an improvement from a prior estimated gap of $1.7bn noted in spring. Not Included Funding The budget projections do not include a further $1.1bn in expected contributions from ongoing discussions with multiple contributors. The spokesperson for the organization noted that the present unsecured part of the budget is actually lower than in earlier years, crediting this to multiple factors: A smaller total budget The launch of a new donor outreach campaign Higher in member states' required fees The realignment process is now nearing its completion, allowing the organization to progress with a renewed structure.