Why you need to care about WHO’s urgent guidance on global health funding cuts

DCM Editorial Summary: This story has been independently rewritten and summarised for DCM readers to highlight key developments relevant to the region. Original reporting by WHO, click this post to read the original article.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidance to help countries respond to sudden and severe reductions in external health funding. These cuts, expected to drop by 30–40% by 2025 compared to 2023, are severely disrupting essential health services in low- and middle-income nations. If your country relies on this aid, you may see impacts such as reduced access to maternal care, vaccinations, disease surveillance, and health emergency preparedness. WHO’s data shows that in some places, services have been reduced by up to 70%, and over 50 countries report job losses among healthcare workers, along with setbacks in training programs.

WHO advises you to treat health spending as more than just a budget item—see it as an investment in your country’s stability and well-being. Their new guidance, “Responding to the health financing emergency,” outlines practical measures that you can adopt, including protecting essential health services, prioritizing care for the poorest, and improving efficiency in health spending. Strategies like better procurement, cutting administrative costs, and integrating disease-specific programs into broader primary healthcare systems can help maximize the impact of limited resources.

If you’re part of government leadership, your role is essential. The guidance calls for policies that prioritize health even in times of crisis. Countries like Kenya, Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, and Uganda have already taken steps—such as increasing health budgets and implementing structural reforms—to protect their health systems. These examples show you that immediate action and clear planning can help maintain critical services and reduce aid dependency.

The WHO emphasizes the importance of long-term solutions and global cooperation to help you move toward sustainable health financing. The organization and its partners, including Japan and the World Bank, will offer technical support through a new initiative called the UHC Knowledge Hub. This platform, launching in December 2025, aims to give you the resources and peer learning tools to navigate today’s financial challenges while continuing to build stronger, more self-reliant health systems.