The world is facing a health financing emergency as global health investment risks falling to its lowest level in a decade, the World Health Organization (WHO) warned.
Dr. Kalipso Chalkidou, WHO Director for Health Financing and Economics, said deep spending cuts by wealthy nations are disrupting both international aid and national health systems.
Speaking at a Geneva press briefing, she highlighted recent decisions by the U.S., European governments, and EU bodies to freeze or reduce health aid.
WHO forecasts show global health investment could drop by 40% this year, falling from over $25 billion in 2023 to an estimated $15 billion.
“This funding shortage is creating a health finance emergency in many developing countries—particularly in sub-Saharan Africa,” Dr. Chalkidou said. Many nations rely heavily on aid, with U.S.-financed programs previously accounting for up to 30% of health spending in countries like Malawi and 25% in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
A WHO survey found disruptions to health services in some countries are now at levels “not seen since the peak of COVID-19.” The situation is worsened by soaring debt burdens, with some countries spending twice as much on debt servicing as on health.
WHO is urging countries to cut aid dependency, improve tax revenues - including health taxes on tobacco and alcohol - and work with multilateral banks for low-interest loans to fund health investments.
The issue will be addressed at the upcoming International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, where WHO hopes leaders will make new funding commitments.
Sanctions are a long-used tool designed as an alternative to military force and with the objective of changing governments’ behaviour, but they also...
Azerbaijan’s participation in the United States-backed Board of Peace reflects a clear calculation of national interest, according to Chingiz Mammad...
Millions of people in Britain are struggling to afford basic necessities, with a new report warning that the number living in the deepest levels of po...
A clock in a Tel Aviv square that became a rallying point for Israelis demanding the release of hostages taken during the October 2023 Hamas attack wa...
Turkish defence firm Aselsan announced on Monday that it had signed a deal with the NATO alliance, of which Türkiye is a longstanding member, for the...
Sanctions are a long-used tool designed as an alternative to military force and with the objective of changing governments’ behaviour, but they also end up hurting civilian citizens.
Azerbaijan’s participation in the United States-backed Board of Peace reflects a clear calculation of national interest, according to Chingiz Mammadov, Research Alumni of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and the Woodrow Wilson International Center.
Turkish defence firm Aselsan announced on Monday that it had signed a deal with the NATO alliance, of which Türkiye is a longstanding member, for the supply of “Identification of Friend or Foe” (IFF) interrogator systems for use with Man-Portable Air Defense Systems, or MANPADS.
Secret negotiations between U.S. officials and the Taliban over remaining American detainees have stalled, after the Taliban publicly tied any further releases to the fate of the last Afghan held at Guantánamo Bay, according to a report by The New York Times published on 26 January 2026.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has activated the state’s National Guard following the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis, an incident that has triggered protests and intensified tensions between state and federal authorities.
Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodriguez said on Sunday the country should not fear pursuing energy ties with the United States, as Caracas seeks to expand oil and gas production and attract foreign investment.
Iran’s Foreign Ministry has strongly rejected a U.S. magazine report on the death toll during January unrest. Nationwide protests erupted in response to soaring inflation and a national currency crisis.
A mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV was illuminated on Sunday at the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls in Rome, continuing a centuries-old Vatican tradition marking the election of a new pope.
Diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine remain stalled after talks in Abu Dhabi ended without an agreement. Moscow has since ruled out dialogue with the EU’s top diplomat.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has said it regrets the United States’ decision to withdraw from the UN health agency and hopes Washington will resume active participation in the future.
Researchers in China said they have developed a “smart living glue” made from engineered gut bacteria that can detect internal bleeding and help repair intestinal damage, offering a targeted new approach to treating inflammatory bowel disease.
Mongolia has introduced a new decree to strengthen traditional Mongolian medicine and expand its international profile.
Save the Children has pledged to expand maternal and child health services across Afghanistan after its new country director met the country’s public health minister in Kabul on Wednesday.
China has announced plans to fully cover childbirth-related costs for families as authorities move to incentivise young couples to have more children.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment