The World Health Organization (WHO) today issued new guidance to help countries manage drastic cuts in external health funding. The document is titled “Responding to the health financing emergency: immediate measures and longer-term shifts.”
Global external health aid is expected to fall by 30-40% in 2025 compared with 2023, affecting low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) the most.
In a survey of 108 LMICs from March 2025, many reported that up to 70% of services such as maternal care, vaccinations and disease surveillance were disrupted. Additionally, more than 50 countries cited job cuts among health workers.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said:
“Sudden and unplanned cuts to aid have hit many countries hard, costing lives and jeopardising hard-won health gains.”
The new guidance emphasises that health spending should be viewed as an investment, not a cost. It urges governments to:
- Protect health budgets and essential services.
- Prioritise care for the poorest and most vulnerable.
- Improve efficiency via better procurement and strategic purchasing.
- Integrate donor-funded programmes into broader primary health care services.
- Use health-technology assessments to target high-impact interventions.
WHO and partners plan to launch a new “UHC Knowledge Hub” in December 2025, supported by Japan and the World Bank, to help countries navigate this financing shock.
