World Health Organization member states agreed Thursday to temporarily suspend a financial regulation, allowing the agency to use its corporate reserves to cover staff costs.
WHO is facing a significant budget crisis due to reduced funding from donors, and the withdrawal announcement and termination of U.S. funding agreements. The United States has also not paid its dues to WHO for 2024-2025, amounting to $260 million. The agency was also running a deficit for the past two years, spending more money than it had.
WHO has recently taken some belt-tightening measures, including freezing hiring and limiting travel. But as of May 2025, it still faces a salary shortfall of $317 million for the year.
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About the author
Jenny Lei Ravelo@JennyLeiRavelo
Jenny Lei Ravelo is a Devex Senior Reporter based in Manila. She covers global health, with a particular focus on the World Health Organization, and other development and humanitarian aid trends in Asia Pacific. Prior to Devex, she wrote for ABS-CBN, one of the largest broadcasting networks in the Philippines, and was a copy editor for various international scientific journals. She received her journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas.
