In a bold step to future-proof global health, countries around the world have agreed to give the World Health Organization its most reliable funding boost in decades.
In a historic move to bolster the financial stability and effectiveness of the World Health Organization (WHO), Member States at the Seventy-eighth World Health Assembly today approved a landmark decision to sustainably fund the global health body. This includes a 20% increase in assessed contributions—membership dues paid by countries—as part of the Organization’s approved $4.2 billion budget for 2026–2027.
The decision builds on a 2022 commitment by Member States to gradually increase their dues to cover 50% of WHO’s core budget by the 2030–2031 cycle. At present, assessed contributions make up just 16% of WHO’s funding, with the remainder coming from largely earmarked voluntary donations that can limit the organization’s flexibility and responsiveness.
“This decision addresses head-on the decades-long challenge WHO has faced on predictable, flexible and sustainable funding,” said WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “Delivering on the target they have agreed today means our Member States are empowering WHO to meet their expectations and truly fulfill our mandate as the world’s leading global health authority.”
The adopted reforms fully reflect the recommendations of the Sustainable Financing Working Group, established in 2021 and chaired by Björn Kümmel of Germany. In addition to increasing assessed contributions, the recommendations include exploring new funding mechanisms, such as a replenishment model, and establishing a Member State task group to enhance WHO’s governance, transparency, and accountability.
“Even beyond WHO, this is about what we envisage for global health architecture: a less fragmented, better coordinated, and truly inclusive system, with a fundamentally strengthened WHO at its centre,” said Kümmel.
The newly approved budget, which aligns with WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work (2025–2028), was scaled down from an earlier $5.3 billion proposal due to ongoing global financial constraints. Nevertheless, Member States’ approval of the revised $4.2 billion budget—and their continued commitment to increasing core funding—signals growing support for a stronger, more autonomous WHO.
Financial experts and global health leaders have long criticized WHO’s over-reliance on voluntary, earmarked contributions, warning that it undermines the agency’s ability to pursue long-term goals and respond equitably to global health challenges. With every $1 invested in WHO yielding an estimated return of at least $35, leaders say today’s decision also makes economic sense.
Sustainable financing, they argue, will not only ensure WHO can deliver long-term support to countries and retain vital expertise, but also reinforce the Organization’s independence in setting and delivering global health priorities.
The approval of this funding model and budget at WHA78 marks a turning point in WHO’s transformation efforts that began in 2017. It also comes on the heels of new initiatives such as the WHO Foundation and the first-ever Investment Round to diversify and expand the Organization’s donor base.
As the world continues to face complex health threats—from pandemics to climate-related challenges—WHO officials say a sustainably funded and empowered organization is essential to ensuring health security and achieving health for all.