Geneva: Member countries of the World Health Organisation have approved an ambitious increase in the budget for the UN health agency at a meeting, with some noting that WHO’s chronic underfunding cripples its ability to protect global health.
Delegates at the World Health Assembly on Thursday approved a 16 per cent increase to WHO’s proposed budget for the next two years, setting it at about USD 6.1 billion.
More than 90 per cent of WHO’s funding is tied to specific health issues, and the agency often struggles to respond to urgent crises.