GENEVA - The Trump administration's decision to cut US development aid has forced the World Health Organisation (WHO) to restructure, it said on Tuesday, German Press Agency (dpa) reported.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told members the organisation was facing a salary gap for 2026-27 of between US$560 and US$650 million.
"The sudden drop in income has left us with a large salary gap and no choice but to reduce the scale of our work and workforce," he said.
"There is an urgency to our situation, but we also want to make sure that we get this reduction right, to protect the work of the Organisation now and in the long term."
Among the changes, senior leadership positions are to be cut from 12 to seven, and the number of departments is to be reduced by almost half, from 76 to 34.
All regional offices will be affected to varying degrees, Tedros added.
"They are decisions we have made after careful consideration, after exploring all options, and because we have no other choice."
WHO would fulfil its "critical role in supporting countries to navigate this challenging period, mobilise domestic resources and sustain health services," Tedros said.
"We have reached one significant milestone in our journey, but we still have a long journey ahead."
After taking office in January, US President Donald Trump announced a pause in most US foreign aid spending. He also announced that the US would withdraw from the WHO. - BERNAMA