The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday issued updated guidance to help countries deal with the immediate and long-term impact of sudden reductions in external funding, which are disrupting the delivery of crucial health services across multiple nations.
The new document, titled “Responding to the health financing emergency: immediate measures and longer-term shifts,” outlines various policy options that governments can use to manage abrupt financial shocks while also strengthening plans to secure reliable and sustainable funding for national health systems.
Global external financial support for health is expected to decline by 30–40 percent in 2025 compared to 2023, resulting in rapid and serious interruptions to health services in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
According to WHO survey findings from 108 LMICs, collected in March 2025, the funding drop has already led to major reductions in key health services, including maternal health care, vaccinations, emergency preparedness and response, and disease surveillance, with some countries reporting losses of up to 70%.
Over 50 countries have also reported that health and care workers have lost their jobs, and many have seen significant disruptions to training programmes for health professionals.
