President Donald Trump’s announcement to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) signifies a significant financial loss for the agency, as the United States has been its largest financial supporter. For the two-year budget cycle concluding in 2025, the U.S. is anticipated to contribute approximately $958 million, accounting for nearly 15% of WHO’s total budget, which is around $6.5 billion.

The majority of the U.S. financial support, along with a substantial portion of WHO’s overall budget, is derived from voluntary contributions. Membership fees for WHO are determined based on the gross domestic product (GDP) of member countries. However, nations and organizations also have the option to provide voluntary donations to WHO for specific designated initiatives.

Roughly 70% of WHO’s funding comes from these voluntary contributions, which presents challenges for the organization in establishing its own public health agendas. In 2022, representatives from WHO member countries consented to redesign its financing structure, with goals of having member fees constitute about half of the budget by the year 2030.

WHO functions as the specialized health agency of the United Nations, charged with orchestrating global responses to various health threats, including outbreaks of mpox, Ebola, and polio. It also offers technical support to less affluent nations, aids in the distribution of limited vaccines and treatments, and develops guidelines for numerous health issues, such as mental health and cancer care.

Public health officials in the U.S. have been instructed to cease all collaboration with the World Health Organization immediately.

Here’s a breakdown of the main contributors to WHO:
– United States: $958 million
– Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation: $689 million
– Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance: $500 million
– European Commission: $412 million
– World Bank: $268 million
– Germany: $324 million
– United Kingdom: $215 million
– Canada: $141 million
– European Investment Bank: $119 million