Global health: the United States' withdrawal from the WHO and French funding cuts worry NGOs

Published 2026-11-07

Funding for global health is going through a difficult period. The United States has decided to leave the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations agency responsible for public health. At the same time, France has sharply reduced its contributions to health financing around the world. These two decisions raise questions about the future of care programmes in the poorest countries.

Guyguy Manangama, deputy director of operations at Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), presented the situation during an appearance on France Inter. According to him, budget cuts are having a direct impact on the ground, where medical teams must work with more limited resources. Humanitarian organisations are particularly concerned about the fight against disease, vaccination and access to essential medicines.

The WHO plays a central role in coordinating responses to epidemics and in setting international health standards. Its budget depends largely on contributions from member countries and private donations. The departure of a contributor as significant as the United States therefore forces the organisation to review its priorities and spending.

For those working in global health, the question now is how to make up for this shortfall in resources. Some countries, organisations and foundations could increase their aid, but these commitments remain uncertain. The coming months will be decisive in measuring the real consequences of these decisions on the health of populations.

Sources: Facebook

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