The World Health Organization (WHO) has released new guidance to help countries mitigate the impact of sharp global health financing cuts that are endangering essential health services in low- and middle-income countries.
The document, titled “Responding to the Health Financing Emergency: Immediate Measures and Longer-Term Shifts,” outlines practical policy options for governments to manage sudden reductions in external aid while building sustainable, nationally financed health systems.
According to WHO projections, external health aid is expected to fall by between 30 and 40 percent in 2025 compared to 2023 levels — a drop that could trigger widespread service disruptions.
Data from 108 low- and middle-income countries reveal that these funding reductions have already curtailed vital services such as maternal care, vaccination, and disease surveillance by up to 70 percent.
More than 50 countries have reported job losses among health workers and significant interruptions in training programmes.
“Sudden and unplanned cuts to aid have hit many countries hard, costing lives and jeopardizing hard-won health gains,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General.
“But this crisis also presents an opportunity to transition away from aid dependency towards sustainable self-reliance, built on domestic resources.”
The new guidance calls on governments to prioritize health in their national budgets even amid economic strain, emphasizing that sustained investment in health is critical for “social stability, human dignity, and economic resilience.”
WHO’s recommendations focus on protecting essential health services, maintaining access for vulnerable populations, improving efficiency through transparent procurement systems, and integrating donor-funded programmes into primary health care structures to guarantee continuity.
Several countries have already taken measures to cushion the effects of aid cuts. Nigeria has increased its health budget by $200 million to sustain immunisation and epidemic response programmes, while Ghana has lifted the cap on excise tax funding for its National Health Insurance Agency, resulting in a 60 percent boost to its health budget.
In East Africa, Uganda has also outlined a policy direction focused on integrating health services and improving efficiency in the delivery of care nationwide, in line with WHO’s broader call for resilient domestic health financing.
The WHO says it will continue to provide technical assistance and policy support to countries as they implement the new measures and adapt to reduced global health funding.