WHO Releases New Guidance to Counter Global Health Financing Cuts

Strategic Insights -

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidance for countries to address drastic global health financing cuts, as external health aid is projected to drop by 30% to 40% in 2025 compared with 2023. This significant reduction in funding has caused immediate and severe disruption to health services in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), with critical services such as maternal care, vaccination, and health emergency preparedness and response being reduced by up to 70% in some countries. WHO's new guidance provides a suite of policy options for countries to cope with the sudden financing shocks and bolster efforts to mobilize and implement sufficient and sustainable financing for national health systems.

Key Takeaways:

  • WHO's guidance emphasizes the need for countries to prioritize health spending, protect health budgets, and improve efficiency through better procurement and strategic purchasing.
  • External health aid is projected to drop by 30% to 40% in 2025 compared with 2023, affecting health services in LMICs.
  • Funding cuts have reduced critical services by up to 70% in some countries, with over 50 countries reporting job losses among health and care workers.
  • WHO's guidance includes key policy recommendations:

+ Prioritize the health services accessed by the poorest.

+ Protect health budgets and essential health services.

+ Improve efficiency through better procurement, reduced overheads, and strategic purchasing.

+ Integrate externally-funded or disease-specific services into comprehensive PHC-based delivery models.

+ Use health technology assessments to prioritize services and products that have the greatest health impact per dollar spent.

  • Countries such as Kenya, Nigeria, and South Africa have taken decisive action to strengthen their health systems and protect essential health services.

Statistics:

  • External health aid is projected to drop by 30% to 40% in 2025 compared with 2023.
  • Funding cuts have reduced critical services by up to 70% in some countries.
  • Over 50 countries have reported job losses among health and care workers.
  • WHO survey data from 108 LMICs collected in March 2025 indicate that funding cuts have had a severe impact on health services.

Sources:

  • World Health Organization (WHO)
  • "Responding to the health financing emergency: immediate measures and longer-term shifts" guidance document
  • WHO survey data from 108 LMICs (no date mentioned)
  • World Bank, Government of Japan, and WHO's partnership (UHC Knowledge Hub) set to be launched in December 2025 (no specific date mentioned)