WHO Slashes Leadership Team Amid Massive U.S. Funding Cuts

The World Health Organization (WHO) is undergoing a major leadership shake-up following substantial funding cuts from its largest donor—the United States.

In an internal email to staff on Wednesday, WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus announced that the agency’s executive management team will be reduced nearly by half, from 11 members to just six. The new structure will take effect starting June 16.

This drastic step is a direct response to the agency’s looming financial crisis, driven largely by the withdrawal of U.S. contributions.

The United States, which had contributed $1.3 billion to WHO’s 2022–2023 budget—primarily through voluntary project-specific funding—has not paid its 2024 dues and is not expected to contribute in 2025 either. The financial vacuum has left WHO with a projected budget shortfall of between $560 million and $650 million for 2026–2027.

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Among the high-profile departures are two prominent figures who played pivotal roles in WHO’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. Mike Ryan, the emergencies director from Ireland, and Dr. Bruce Aylward of Canada, who led the agency’s universal health coverage efforts, will both step down.

Dr. Tedros praised Ryan for extending his tenure beyond his planned retirement, calling his leadership “instrumental during our toughest times.”

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Despite the cuts, some key leaders will remain. Dr. Jeremy Farrar, formerly the chief scientist and a respected global health researcher, will transition to a new role overseeing health promotion and disease prevention.

His current post will be taken over by French physician Dr. Sylvie Briand, who currently heads the agency’s department for pandemic and epidemic diseases.

While WHO has not specified how many total positions may be eliminated, Dr. Tedros has warned member states that the heaviest impact will be felt at the agency’s headquarters in Geneva. Senior management roles are the first to face restructuring, though deeper operational and staffing cuts may follow if the financial situation doesn’t improve.

This funding crisis casts a long shadow over the upcoming World Health Assembly, where global delegates will gather to set priorities for the organization. The looming challenge of financial sustainability, especially amid rising health emergencies worldwide, is expected to dominate discussions.

As WHO navigates this critical juncture, the reshuffling of leadership underscores not only the organization’s internal recalibration but also the wider geopolitical implications of reduced global health funding at a time when preparedness and cooperation are more essential than ever.