WHO Plans Major Relocations and Job Cuts Amid Budget Constraints

The World Health Organization (WHO) is initiating a significant restructuring plan that includes relocating four operational units and scaling back some of its activities in response to budget cuts. These measures stem from a funding shortfall exacerbated by the United States’ decision to withdraw from the agency, as outlined in documents reviewed by Reuters.

In a strategic move, the WHO plans to shift certain functions from its Geneva headquarters to different global locations. The health emergencies team will transition to Berlin, while the operations and logistics unit will relocate to Dubai. Additionally, the health workforce and nursing department will move to Lyon, France by January 2025, and traditional medicine functions are set to transfer to Jamnagar, India by July 2026. These relocations aim to save an estimated $3.3 million annually, despite an initial investment required for the moves.

As of January 2025, approximately 31 percent of the WHO’s workforce, nearly 3,000 staff members, were based in Geneva. The organization has already enacted a 21 percent reduction in its budget for 2026-2027, bringing it down to $4.2 billion. This budget adjustment was made public in May and coincided with a halving of the management team.

The recent documents shared with member states indicate further planned reductions in specific areas of work at WHO regional offices. The Europe region will increasingly depend on the Geneva headquarters for non-communicable disease initiatives. Meanwhile, the Western Pacific region will discontinue its focus on sexual and reproductive health, sanitation, and adolescent health, transferring these responsibilities to other organizations such as the UN Population Fund and UNICEF.

A spokesperson for the WHO confirmed that since January, 409 of the agency’s approximately 9,450 global staff have departed due to natural attrition, non-renewal of contracts, and voluntary retirements. The spokesperson noted that an additional 600 job cuts are anticipated in Geneva, beyond the current departures. While the spokesperson did not elaborate on the specifics of the relocation plans, they emphasized that these changes aim to enhance the agency’s efficiency and prevent the fragmentation of divisions across multiple locations.

“This is done in order to strengthen our core mission and activities, and at the same time capitalise on any efficiencies, including cost savings, that can be made,” the spokesperson stated via email. The WHO’s ongoing adjustments reflect its efforts to adapt to a challenging financial landscape while striving to fulfill its mission in global health.