WHO Appeals for $1 Billion to Address “Surging” Health Crises in 2026

The World Health Organization has launched an urgent appeal for $1 billion to support health services this year across 36 of the world’s most severe humanitarian emergencies, including in Gaza, Sudan, Haiti, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The UN agency warned that approximately 239 million people will require urgent humanitarian assistance in 2026, and the funds are essential to keep basic health care running in crisis zones.

“A quarter of a billion people are living through humanitarian crises that strip away the most basic protections: safety, shelter, and access to health care,” said WHO’s health emergencies chief, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, at a press briefing in Geneva. He cautioned that in these settings, health needs are “surging” due to injuries, disease outbreaks, malnutrition, and untreated chronic illnesses, even as access to care diminishes.

This year’s request is notably lower than recent appeals, reflecting a sharp global reduction in available aid funding. Last year, the WHO sought $1.5 billion but received only $900 million.

Dr. Ihekweazu linked the constrained appeal to a shrinking donor landscape, notably citing that the United States traditionally the agency’s largest donor formally submitted its one-year withdrawal notice from the WHO in January 2025 under President Donald Trump’s administration.

“We’ve calibrated our ask a little bit more towards what is available realistically, understanding the constraints that many countries have,” he explained.

The WHO stated it is now “hyper-prioritising the highest-impact services” while scaling back lower-impact activities to save as many lives as possible. In 2025, funding shortfalls forced 6,700 health facilities across 22 countries to either close or reduce services, cutting off 53 million people from care.

“Families living on the edge face impossible decisions, such as whether to buy food or medicine,” Dr. Ihekweazu stressed. “People should never have to make these choices.” He concluded by urging countries and the public to “invest in a healthier, safer world.”