After the United States leaves, the World Health Organization (WHO) will reduce its spending and review which health programs will be prioritized, Reuters reported, reports News.bg.
The decision followed the announcement by US President Donald Trump, who announced that the country would withdraw from the organization on the first day of his second term, accusing the WHO of failing to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and other international health crises.
"The news of the US withdrawal has significantly worsened our financial situation," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in a note to the organization's staff on January 23. He said the WHO would significantly reduce travel costs and halt recruitment of new staff as part of the cost-cutting efforts.
The UN confirmed yesterday that the United States will formally withdraw from the WHO on January 22, 2026. The United States is currently the largest financial donor to the organization, providing about 18% of its funds. The WHO's last two-year budget for 2024-2025 was $6.8 billion.