20 percent increase in WHO assessed contributions, Americas gets 1.2 percent raise from 2022-2023

Rashaed Esson

Staff Writer

June 5, 2023 – Member States of the World Health Organization (WHO) approved the WHO Programme budget 2024-2025, which includes a 20% increase in assessed contributions.  This now takes WHO’s global budget to $6,834.2 million of which the Americas will receive  $313.7 million, a 1.2 percent  increase from 2022-2023.

This will better facilitate the equal distribution of funds for the Americas as expressed by Dr. Jarbas Barbosa Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Director.

“The Americas remains the most unequal region of the world, yet WHO covers a relatively small portion of PAHO’s operational costs,” he said.

He further added that ensuring equitable distribution of WHO funds is pivotal in meeting  the urgent health needs of Latin America and the Caribbean.

The decision was made on Monday May 22, 2023, at the World Health Assembly in Geneva, Switzerland, lasting from May 21st to 30th, and came as PAHO Member States highlighted that the Americas needs increased financing and since less than three quarters of the approved budget for the Americas has been funded historically.

Barbosa continued to emphasize that “Sufficient and sustainable financing for the Region is key to addressing the health inequities that have been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General, pointed out that this marks to first time in the organization’s 75 year history, that a significant increase in assessed contributions has been made, and he expressed gratitude to the Member States for having confidence and trust in WHO, maintaining that the increase is symbolic of and reiterates his commitment to enhancing transparency, accountability and efficiency.

Additionally, the budgetary increase for the financial period will also aid WHO in supporting countries of the Americas in reaching the Sustainable Development Goals and the Organization’s Thirteenth General Programme of Work (GPW13) “triple billion” targets:

• One billion more people benefiting from universal health coverage,
• One billion more people better protected from health emergencies,
• One billion more people enjoying better health and well-being.