Global Health Services on the Brink: WHO Sounds Alarm on Donor Funding Cuts

The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised a red flag over severe disruptions in global health services due to sudden donor funding cuts, affecting 70% of its country offices.

According to the WHO report, these disruptions are impacting critical health system functions, including health emergency preparedness and response, public health surveillance, service provision, humanitarian aid, and the health and care workforce.

Impact on Health Services

– Health emergency preparedness and response: 70% of countries reporting problems

– Public health surveillance: 66% of countries affected

– Service provision: 58% of countries impacted

– Humanitarian aid: 56% of countries struggling

– Health and care workforce: 54% of countries experiencing disruptions

The cuts are forcing people to pay more out-of-pocket for healthcare in some countries, with 24% of responses indicating budget constraints pushing costs directly onto patients, especially the poor and vulnerable. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus described the results as alarming, emphasizing the need for an accelerated transition to sustainable domestic funding.

“The pause in ODA has led to job losses for health and care workers in over half of responding countries and significant disruptions to trainings,” the report noted. Information systems are also being impacted, with over 40% of countries experiencing disruptions to key health data collection.

Call to Action

The WHO is working closely with donor agencies and health partners to design and implement urgent response plans. Mr. Ghebreyesus urged for support across a broad range of areas, including technical assistance, resource mobilization, and innovative funding mechanisms. “Although these cuts are a shock, they are also driving an accelerated transition away from aid dependency to a more sustainable self-reliance, based on domestic resources,” he said.

Consequences of Inaction

Unless urgent steps are taken, the ripple effects of the funding crisis could be long-lasting and devastating. A recent UN report warned that recent cuts to global health aid could reverse progress in reducing maternal deaths. The WHO emphasizes that immediate international attention is necessary to mitigate the impact of these disruptions on global health systems.