GENEVA – The World Health Organization (WHO) is seeking $7-billion in flexible funding for its four-year programme of action (2025-2028), and will hold an investment conference towards the end of the year – but the launch of this quest was celebrated at an event at its Geneva headquarters on Sunday evening.

The four-year programme will cost $11.1-billion to implement and little over a third – $4-billion – will come from WHO member states’ membership fees, referred to as “assessed contributions”, said WHO Director General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.

“Let me put that into context for you,” added Tedros. “Last year, the world spent $717-billion on cigarettes.

“It’s about ensuring WHO is fully funded and improving the quality of the funding we receive. Much of the funding we receive is unpredictable, reactive, and tightly defined,” he added.

The WHO currently manages over 3,000 granted for earmarked projects, which did not allow for quick responses in times of crisis, he explained. In addition, because so much of its income was tied to specific projects, many WHO staff were on 60-day contracts.

“When the funding we get is flexible, then we will have the opportunity to prioritise based on the countries’ situation,” he said, adding that it would also boost morale.

“A lot of people invest their time – including directors – managing grants, mobilising resources  instead of focusing on the programmes.”

The launch, on the eve of the 77th World Health Assembly, “marks the start of a year-long series of engagements and events, co-hosted by countries, where member states and other donors will be invited to contribute funds to WHO’s strategy for 2025 through 2028 and show high-level political commitment to WHO and global health,” the WHO noted.

The investment round will culminate in November with a major pledging event to be hosted by Brazil around the G20 Leaders’ Summit.

“It’s about ensuring WHO is fully funded and improving the quality of the funding we receive. Much of the funding we receive is unpredictable, reactive, and tightly defined,” said Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. “The Investment Round aims to change that, by generating funding that is more flexible, predictable, and resilient.”

Sea change

Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley told the event that there needs to be “a sea change in the global governance architecture of our international financial institutions”.

“There can be no first class and second class citizens of the world, particularly as it relates to access to pharmaceuticals, and access to medical care,” she added.

“Unless we begin to internalise that the balance sheets of most multinational corporations, in fact, dwarf more than half of the world’s states, we will not be able to get to the point where we need to get,” said Mottley, who received a Global Health Leaders Award for lifetime achievement from Tedros.

“And if we accept that public funds are getting more and more difficult to find, then it means that we can only rely on states to be at the core of funding the global public goods.”

“There can be no first class and second class citizens of the world, particularly as it relates to access to pharmaceuticals, and access to medical care. If we get that right, then the missing part of the equation can be found and what is the missing part of the equation? It is political will,” concluded Mottley.

“Global problems need global solutions, and no other organisation has turned out to be in a better position to provide us a chance to come to global solutions,” Brazil’s Minister of Health Nísia Trindade said in a video address. “We will use the convening power of G20 to help mobilise efforts to make the Investment Round a success.”

Qatar Minister of Health Dr Hanan Mohamed Al Kuwari announced a contribution of $4 million in fully flexible funds to the Investment Round, and an intention to contribute further.

“Health care is a fundamental human right and we must continue to invest in the World Health Organization to safeguard our health. Unity is the key to our success,” Al Kuwari said.

France, Germany, and Norway announced that they would serve as co-hosts for the Investment Round.

Norwegian Health Minister Jan Christian Vestre said that his country was proud to co-host the investment round “which will be an important step in securing the organisation a more sustainable financing”. 

However, he said that “more steps are needed, including an increase in assessed contributions”. Two years’ ago, the WHA resolved that 50% of the WHO’s funds should come from by 2030.

“The increase in assessed contributions will not only make WHO more efficient, but also more democratic, as the organisation will be in a better position to follow the priorities that are decided in the assembly instead of following donor earmarked financing,” said Vestre.