World News | Who Funds the World Health Organisation? A List of Its Biggest Donors
Get latest articles and stories on World at LatestLY. President Donald Trump's decision to exit the World Health Organisation means the UN agency is losing its biggest funder.
Geneva, Jan 28 (AP) President Donald Trump's decision to exit the World Health Organisation means the UN agency is losing its biggest funder.
For the two-year budget ending in 2025, the US is projected to be WHO's largest single contributor by far. It is expected to donate $958 million, or nearly 15%, of the agency's roughly $6.5 billion budget.
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Most of the US's contribution — and most of WHO's budget overall — is via voluntary contributions. WHO member countries are assessed membership fees based on a country's gross domestic product. But countries and other groups can make voluntary contributions to WHO to spend on designated issues.
About 70% of WHO's budget comes from these voluntary contributions, which makes it difficult for the agency to set its own public health priorities.
In 2022, WHO member countries agreed to reform its financing model, aiming to make countries' membership fees about half of its budget by 2030.
The WHO is the UN's specialised health agency and is mandated to coordinate the world's response to global health threats, including outbreaks of mpox, Ebola and polio. It also provides technical assistance to poorer countries, helps distribute scarce vaccines, supplies and treatments and sets guidelines for hundreds of health conditions, including mental health and cancer.
US public health officials were told this week to stop working with the World Health Organization, effective immediately.
Here's a list of WHO's top donors:
US: $958 million
Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: $689 million
Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance: $500 million
European Commission: $412 million
World Bank: $268 million
Germany: $324 million
United Kingdom: $215 million
Canada: $141 million
European Investment Bank: $119 million
(AP)
(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)