Geneva: World Health Organization (WHO) Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus revealed that approximately a quarter of countries have seen some health facilities shut down entirely due to financial cutbacks. The data, drawn from over 100 nations, shows that rising out-of-pocket healthcare costs are contributing to medicine shortages, supply disruptions, and growing job losses in the health sector.
Speaking at a press conference in Geneva on Thursday, Dr. Tedros explained that many governments are now adjusting their national budgets, slashing expenditures, and seeking new partnerships and funding avenues in response to the crisis. Some, he said, are turning to the WHO for assistance in moving away from reliance on international aid toward building sustainable, self-sufficient health systems.
He pointed to South Africa and Kenya as examples of countries making effective progress in managing sudden reductions in health funding without compromising public health.
According to Dr. Tedros, to help countries cope, the WHO has issued several key recommendations:
• Focus health spending on the most vulnerable populations by reducing out-of-pocket payments
• Safeguard public health budgets and resist major spending cuts
• Integrate donor contributions into national budgets instead of running parallel systems
• Avoid cutting services or closing health facilities, instead seeking efficiency improvements within existing systems
Tedros also urged countries to consider immediate revenue-generating measures like taxes on harmful products such as tobacco and sugary drinks. He cited Colombia and The Gambia as successful examples where such policies have not only increased government revenue but also led to reduced consumption of unhealthy products.
For long-term sustainability, WHO supports the adoption of community and social health insurance schemes, enabling individuals or families to make small regular contributions to fund healthcare services.
While acknowledging that not every strategy fits all countries, Dr. Tedros emphasized that WHO is working closely with affected nations to develop and implement customized solutions to protect health systems in the face of ongoing fiscal pressure.
