Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) announced that it needs USD 1 billion to cover its budget for next year, emphasizing its continued efforts to compensate for the United States' withdrawal of funding this year.

According to Qatar News Agency, during a briefing to member states, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said, "This year has been one of the most difficult in WHO's history, as we navigated a difficult but necessary process of prioritisation and realignment, resulting in a significant reduction in our workforce." He noted that the organization is nearing the end of this process.

He explained that the WHO has secured 75 percent of the funding for its 2026-2027 budget, but still faces a shortfall of USD 1 billion. He indicated that cost-cutting measures have reduced the number of jobs the organization was forced to eliminate from the projected 2,900 to 1,282, while 1,089 staff members left voluntarily through retirement or the expiration of their temporary contracts.

It is worth noting that after returning to the presidency on January 20, Donald Trump immediately began withdrawing his country from the UN agency, but the State Department said that the changes approved last year would remain binding on the US.