Policy Updates

On April 6, 2025, Germany pledged EUR2 million (US$2 million) to the WHO following the US withdrawal of funding.

This contribution is in addition to Germany's US$317 milllion contribution for 2024-2025 which aims to strengthen global health systems, improve pandemic preparedness, and ensure continued access to essential healthcare services in vulnerable regions. Germany’s leadership in global health funding highlights its commitment to multilateral cooperation.

On April 5, 2025, Canada announced CAD20 million (US$14 million) in humanitarian assistance for Myanmar following the earthquake.

The funding will support emergency relief efforts, including food, water, and healthcare, delivered through trusted partners like the UN and the Red Cross. Canada’s assistance aims to address the urgent needs of displaced families and those affected by the collapse of critical infrastructure in the hardest-hit areas.

On March 28, 2025, the US administration announced plans to merge USAID into the State Department, dissolving it as an independent agency and reducing staffing to a statutory minimum of 15 positions, and additionally detailed specific cuts to USAID grants and multilateral funding.

Congress must pass new legislation to officially eliminate the agency. The State Department will create an Office of Global Food Security to manage food security and humanitarian programs previously handled by USAID. The remaining global health programs will be supervised by the Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy. Other programs will be managed by regional bureaus within the State Department.

Deputy administrator of policy and programs at USAID Jeremy Lewin informed staff that employment contracts would be severed by July 1 or September 2, 2025. By July 1, 2025, the State Department will fully take over USAID’s remaining programming. By September 2, 2025, USAID’s operations will transfer to State or shut down completely.

The administration also provided Congress with documents listing 5,341 terminated USAID programs and 898 active ones, detailing that 86% of programs have been terminated, slightly more than the 83% cut reported on March 10, 2025. The total value of terminated programs is US$75.9 billion, with US$48.2 billion already obligated and US$27.7 billion yet to be assigned.

UN institutions and other multilaterals saw steep cuts, with terminated awards totaling US$4.1 billion to 14 UN agencies, the IBRD, and Gavi.

On March 27, 2025, Japan signed and exchanged notes with Honduras for a grant of JPY640 million (US$4 million) under The Economic and Social Development Program, which aims to improve access to radiotherapy by providing cancer treatment equipment to public medical institutions in Honduras.

The program addresses critical healthcare challenges, including high cancer mortality rates and a lack of radiotherapy equipment. It builds on a trilateral cooperation agreement signed in September 2024 between Japan, Honduras, and the IAEA. The initiative also includes training for cancer treatment specialists to enhance healthcare capacity.

On March 26, 2025, a spreadsheet detailing which USAID projects will continue and which will end indicated that the US administration plans to continue 898 USAID awards and end 5,341.

A spokesperson for the State Department, now overseeing USAID, confirmed the terminations. Some grants for HIV and tuberculosis medications, and food aid for countries in civil wars and natural disasters will continue. Spending on health programs like HIV vaccinations is congressionally allocated, and it is unclear if the administration has the unilateral legal power to end them.

USAID funding has mostly been eliminated, with only 869 of 6,000 employees remaining active. Remaining programs are, according to the administration, valued at up to US$78 billion, but only US$8.3 billion is unobligated funds intended for future disbursement. This suggests a massive reduction from the previous annual USAID spend of US$40 billion.

Programs terminated include funding for the FAO, which monitors diseases transmitted from animals to humans in 49 countries. Major programs to track and fight malaria have also ended.

On March 26, 2025, it was reported that the US plans to end financial support for Gavi, terminating a grant valued at US$2.6 billion through 2030, with US$1.8 billion yet to be disbursed.

Gavi is estimated to have saved the lives of 19 million children since its creation 25 years ago. The US contributes about 13% of its budget.

The loss of US funds will set back Gavi's ability to continue providing basic services, like immunizations for measles and polio. By Gavi’s estimate, the loss of US support may mean 75 million children do not receive routine vaccinations in the next five years, resulting in over 1.2 million child deaths.

The US became the largest donor to Gavi during the COVID-19 pandemic. While European countries have historically provided significant funding, many have announced plans to reduce development spending. Japan, another major Gavi donor, has also struggled with a depreciating currency.

On March 21, 2025, Canada announced CAD30 million (US$22 million) in funding to address urgent humanitarian needs in Lebanon, including food, medical and health services, shelter, and clean water.

The funding will be delivered through partners such as the UN, the Red Cross, and NGOs. This pledge is part of Canada’s broader humanitarian response, bringing its total funding for Lebanon in 2025 to CAD41 million (US$29 million). The support aims to alleviate the severe impacts of ongoing conflict, including food insecurity, displacement, and attacks on healthcare infrastructure.

Canada called for all parties to respect the ceasefire agreement and ensure the safety of humanitarian workers, reaffirming its commitment to supporting Lebanon during this crisis.

On January 15, 2025, the Swedish government announced a SEK4.3 billion (US$426 million) investment in global health development, specifically targeting SRHR.

This funding will support a five-year strategy, implemented by Sida, from 2025 to 2029, aimed at addressing pressing health challenges exacerbated by crises, conflicts, climate change, and global health threats.

The initiative responds to the alarming pushback against human rights, particularly affecting girls, women, and LGBTQI+ individuals, which has drastically reduced access to essential medical services. The strategy focuses on the most vulnerable populations in low- and middle-income countries, with an emphasis on improving health conditions, strengthening health systems, and enhancing disease monitoring.

Key activities will include increasing access to maternity care, contraceptives, and safe abortions, ultimately aiming to reduce practices such as female genital cutting and child marriage, as well as preventing unintended pregnancies and unsafe births. Swedish Minister for International Development Cooperation and Foreign Trade Benjamin Dousa stated that this initiative will help ensure more children receive basic vaccinations and contain infectious diseases at earlier stages.

On January 6, 2025, the Royal College of Nursing conduted research stating that the UK cut health ODA to some of the world’s vulnerable countries at the same time as recruiting thousands of their nurses.

The Royal College of Nursing said Labour has a duty to fix the ODA cuts imposed by the previous government, and to work on increasing the UK’s domestic supply of nurses.

Between 2020 and 2023, direct UK ODA for health-related projects in “red list” countries – those with the most severe workforce shortages – fell by nearly 63%, from GBP484 million (US$684 million) to GBP181 million (US$234 million).

Spending on projects designed to strengthen the healthcare workforce in those countries fell by 83%, from GBP24 million (US$34 million) to GBP4 million (US$5 million).

At the same time, the number of nurses from these countries on the UK’s national register rose sharply. There were 11,386 registered in September 2020, and 32,543 in September 2024.

On December 17, 2024, the WHO Academy in Lyon officially opened, marking a significant step in strengthening the skills and competencies of health professionals to achieve UHC and improve global access to quality healthcare services

The Academy will provide healthcare professionals worldwide with training in the latest medical advancements and help prepare for future health emergencies. The official opening was attended by WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, French President Emmanuel Macron, the Director of Institut Pasteur, the Director of the Robert Koch Institute, and the President of the Lyon Metropole.

The new campus is in Lyon's Gerland biodistrict, surrounded by pharmaceutical companies and scientific institutions, such as the P4 laboratory and the International Agency for Research on Cancer. France has contributed EUR120 million (US$129 million) to the WHO Academy, and for its medium-term operations, the WHO plans to mobilize additional funding from member states, the private sector, and foundations.