The World Health Organization (WHO) is implementing significant cost-cutting measures, including a recruitment freeze and substantial reductions in travel, following the withdrawal of its largest financial contributor, the United States, according to an internal email obtained by POLITICO.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus addressed staff in an email on Thursday night, expressing regret over the U.S. decision. “As you know, the United States of America has announced that it intends to withdraw from WHO. We regret this decision and hope the new administration will reconsider it,” he wrote.
Tedros acknowledged the financial strain the withdrawal has placed on the organization, stating, “This announcement has made our financial situation more acute, and we know it has created significant concern and uncertainty for the WHO workforce.”
In response to the financial challenges, the WHO is instituting a hiring freeze, restricting recruitment to only the most critical areas. Additionally, the organization is making drastic cuts to travel budgets, with all meetings now required to be conducted virtually unless circumstances are deemed exceptional. Missions to provide technical support to countries are being scaled back to cover only essential activities.
Other cost-reduction measures include limitations on replacing IT equipment, renegotiation of major contracts, and the suspension of office refurbishments and capital investments unless deemed necessary for security or to reduce expenses.
These steps reflect the organization’s attempt to navigate the financial uncertainty brought on by the U.S. withdrawal while continuing its essential global health work.













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