The World Health Organization (WHO) is addressing the impact of sudden suspensions and reductions in official development assistance for health, with Director General Dr. Tedros Ghebreyesus highlighting the challenges and responses in a recent speech. A rapid WHO assessment, compiling feedback from over 100 countries, revealed severe disruptions to health services in almost three-quarters of countries and closures of health facilities in one-quarter.
The assessment also noted increased out-of-pocket payments for health services, job losses for health and care workers, and disruptions to information systems and the supply of medicines and health products. These findings raise concerns about potentially deeper and prolonged effects on health systems and services worldwide, particularly in vulnerable and fragile settings.
In response, countries are revising budgets, cutting costs, and strengthening fundraising and partnerships. Dr. Ghebreyesus noted examples such as South Africa approving an additional US$1.5 billion for its health budget, Nigeria allocating an additional US$200 million, Kenya’s health ministry requesting an additional US$250 million, and Ghana taking steps to bridge its financing gap.
The Organization is supporting countries to accelerate the transition away from aid dependency to sustainable self-reliance, based on domestic resources. Dr. Ghebreyesus advised countries to prioritize the poorest, protect health budgets, channel donor funds through budgets, and avoid cutting services or closing facilities, absorbing as much of the impact as possible through efficiency gains in health systems.
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