By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a serious warning about disruptions to health services across the globe, with 70% of its surveyed country offices reporting sudden suspensions and reductions in official development assistance (ODA) for health.
The alarming findings raise concerns about the potentially long-term repercussions on health systems, particularly in vulnerable and fragile settings.
The insights were derived from a rapid assessment conducted by WHO between March and April 2025, involving 108 country offices primarily situated in low- and lower-middle-income countries.
According to WHO on their official Website, Many nations are attempting to address funding gaps by reallocating resources from domestic and alternative external sources.
However, the survey revealed that nearly one quarter of respondents indicated that budget cuts are resulting in increased out-of-pocket costs for individuals, disproportionately affecting the impoverished and vulnerable populations.
Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, commented on the findings, stating, “These results paint a worrying picture about the impact of the sudden and unplanned cuts to aid on the health of millions of people. Although these cuts represent a shock, they are also accelerating a transition away from aid dependency toward a more sustainable self-reliance based on domestic resources. Many countries are seeking WHO’s support, and we are collaborating to identify and implement effective measures.”
The assessment highlights that the disruptions in ODA are impacting multiple aspects of health system functions. For instance, many countries are reporting difficulties in health emergency preparedness and response, public health surveillance, service provision, and the maintenance of the health and care workforce. The disruption of services has become evident in key areas such as outbreak detection, malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, sexually transmitted infections, family planning, and maternal and child health.
In certain regions, the scale of these service interruptions reflects challenges similar to those experienced during peak periods of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Moreover, the pause in ODA has led to critical shortages of medicines and health products, leaving a large number of countries without essential commodities for vital health services.
The interruption of funding has also resulted in job losses among health and care workers in more than half of the surveyed countries and disrupted training programs for these professionals. Additionally, key health data collection systems are experiencing substantial challenges, hampering accurate surveillance and reporting capabilities.
In response to these findings, a large majority of WHO country offices have expressed an urgent need for support in various health areas, including innovative funding strategies and targeted technical assistance.
Recognizing the rapidly evolving nature of this crisis, WHO has pledged to continue monitoring the situation and engage with the global health community, including partners and donor agencies, to develop and implement urgent response plans.
These efforts aim to mitigate the deepening impacts on health systems and promote greater sustainability in health services worldwide.