WHO Appeals for One Billion to Tackle Global Health Emergencies in 2026
“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,” Chikwe Ihekweazu, executive director of the WHO Health Emergencies Program, said at a press briefing in Geneva. He highlighted that rising health needs—from injuries and disease outbreaks to malnutrition and untreated chronic illnesses—are coinciding with shrinking access to care.
The appeal seeks to address 36 crises worldwide, including Gaza and the broader Middle East, Sudan, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, and Myanmar. “Already, 2025 was an exceptionally difficult year,” Ihekweazu said, adding that “global funding cuts forced 6,700 health facilities in 22 humanitarian settings to either close or reduce services, cutting 53 million people off from health care.”
He also noted the severe human impact, saying families are being forced into “impossible decisions, such as whether to buy food or medicine. People should never have to make these choices.”
In 2025, the WHO responded to 50 emergencies across 82 countries, reaching over 30 million people, supporting more than 8,000 health facilities, and deploying 1,400 mobile clinics. “Health is priceless,” Ihekweazu emphasized. “Today, we again invite the world to invest in health.”
The appeal comes amid shifts in global support, including the United States’ formal withdrawal from the WHO in January, according to reports.
Legal Disclaimer:
MENAFN provides the
information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept
any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images,
videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information
contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright
issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.
Legal Disclaimer:
EIN Presswire provides this news content "as is" without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
