WHO Warns Of A Health Financing Emergency
20 June 2025
Speaking at the regular Friday press briefing in Geneva for humanitarian agencies, she warned that as wealthier nations make deep spending cuts, both international aid and national health systems are facing serious disruption.
Dr. Chalkidou highlighted recent decisions by the United States, several European governments, and EU bodies to freeze or scale down health aid.
WHO forecasts indicate that global health investment is likely to drop by up to 40 per cent this year, down $10 billion from just over $25 billion in 2023. The estimated $15 billion spent on health aid would bring the figure down to the lowest level in a decade.
Impacts in developing countries
This funding shortage is creating a health finance emergency in many developing countries – particularly in sub-Saharan Africa – which depend on external aid to finance their health systems.
In numerous countries, US-financed healthcare programmes were the primary source of external aid, accounting for as much as 30 per cent of current health spending in countries like Malawi, and around 25 per cent in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.
Since 2006, external aid per capita in low-income countries has consistently exceeded domestic health spending.
Many sub-Saharan nations face soaring debt burdens – some spending twice as much on debt servicing as on health – making reallocation of resources difficult.
The consequences are severe: Dr. Chalkidou referred to a survey by WHO showing that countries today are reporting health service disruptions 'not seen since the peak of COVID-19'.
Solutions
To address this crisis, WHO is urging countries to reduce aid dependency, boost revenue through improved taxation—including health taxes on products like tobacco and alcohol—and work with multilateral banks to secure low-interest loans for cost-effective health investments.
WHO also plans to attend the upcoming International Conference on Financing for Development in Seville, where global leaders are expected to address the health financing crisis and hopefully make new commitments.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Otago Daily Times
17 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Hamish Kilgour overwhelmed by problems before death
WARNING: This story contains content that may be distressing to readers. A coroner has found musician Hamish Kilgour was overwhelmed by life's challenges before his death. The co-founder of Dunedin band The Clean died by suicide in November 2022, following a marriage breakdown in New York and a new start in Christchurch. 'Like a brother': Dunedin Sound icon Hamish Kilgour remembered Kilgour had been living for decades in New York, where he had a wife and son, but travelled to New Zealand on tour in 2019 and could not leave because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Coroner Alexandra Cunninghame said Kilgour returned to New York in 2022 but his marriage ended and he found himself alone and homeless. Kilgour moved back to New Zealand, a decision his psychiatrist described as separating him from his family, work and social connections. He spoke to a GP about his adjustment struggles, including living away from his son, a sense of cultural dislocation and lack of money, while friends grew concerned about his low mood, drinking and talk of ending his life. Kilgour was admitted to Christchurch's Burwood Hospital in April, then discharged in May. He was readmitted four days later, having told a community mental health nurse his mental state was deteriorating and he was feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of starting life over in New Zealand. During his second hospital stay, Kilgour tried to abscond and was placed under compulsory patient status, before showing signs of improvement. Coroner Cunninghame said Kilgour used Burwood Hospital as a base from which to establish himself in the community and began painting again. His medication was reduced and in meetings with clinical staff Kilgour was not considered to be clinically depressed. On November 26 Kilgour was granted overnight leave to stay with his partner, having passed a mental health assessment by nursing staff. The following day his partner dropped him in town on her way to work, where he said he would catch a bus back to the hospital. Kilgour was last seen that afternoon on CCTV, shopping at a Countdown supermarket. Coroner Cunninghame said Kilgour should be remembered as the gifted artist he was, not who he may have become. "The Clean was famous and influential within indie rock circles all over the world. "I have read many obituaries and articles about Mr Kilgour's contribution to music, and I cannot do justice to his memory in these findings as well as other writers have done," she said. The Clean were described as one of the most influential bands to come from the Flying Nun label when they were inducted into the NZ Music Hall of Fame in 2017. Where to get help: Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason. Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357. Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends. Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202. Samaritans: 0800 726 666. Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@ What's Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds. Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English. Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254. OUTLine: 0800 688 5463.
Otago Daily Times
17 hours ago
- Otago Daily Times
Dunedin Sound icon 'overwhelmed by challenges' before death
WARNING: This story contains content that may be distressing to readers. A coroner has found musician Hamish Kilgour was overwhelmed by life's challenges before his death. The co-founder of Dunedin band The Clean died by suicide in November 2022, following a marriage breakdown in New York and a new start in Christchurch. 'Like a brother': Dunedin Sound icon Hamish Kilgour remembered Kilgour had been living for decades in New York, where he had a wife and son, but travelled to New Zealand on tour in 2019 and could not leave because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Coroner Alexandra Cunninghame said Kilgour returned to New York in 2022 but his marriage ended and he found himself alone and homeless. Kilgour moved back to New Zealand, a decision his psychiatrist described as separating him from his family, work and social connections. He spoke to a GP about his adjustment struggles, including living away from his son, a sense of cultural dislocation and lack of money, while friends grew concerned about his low mood, drinking and talk of ending his life. Kilgour was admitted to Christchurch's Burwood Hospital in April, then discharged in May. He was readmitted four days later, having told a community mental health nurse his mental state was deteriorating and he was feeling overwhelmed by the challenges of starting life over in New Zealand. During his second hospital stay, Kilgour tried to abscond and was placed under compulsory patient status, before showing signs of improvement. Coroner Cunninghame said Kilgour used Burwood Hospital as a base from which to establish himself in the community and began painting again. His medication was reduced and in meetings with clinical staff Kilgour was not considered to be clinically depressed. On November 26 Kilgour was granted overnight leave to stay with his partner, having passed a mental health assessment by nursing staff. The following day his partner dropped him in town on her way to work, where he said he would catch a bus back to the hospital. Kilgour was last seen that afternoon on CCTV, shopping at a Countdown supermarket. Coroner Cunninghame said Kilgour should be remembered as the gifted artist he was, not who he may have become. "The Clean was famous and influential within indie rock circles all over the world. "I have read many obituaries and articles about Mr Kilgour's contribution to music, and I cannot do justice to his memory in these findings as well as other writers have done," she said. The Clean were described as one of the most influential bands to come from the Flying Nun label when they were inducted into the NZ Music Hall of Fame in 2017. Where to get help: Need to Talk? Free call or text 1737 any time to speak to a trained counsellor, for any reason. Lifeline: 0800 543 354 or text HELP to 4357. Suicide Crisis Helpline: 0508 828 865 / 0508 TAUTOKO. This is a service for people who may be thinking about suicide, or those who are concerned about family or friends. Depression Helpline: 0800 111 757 or text 4202. Samaritans: 0800 726 666. Youthline: 0800 376 633 or text 234 or email talk@ What's Up: 0800 WHATSUP / 0800 9428 787. This is free counselling for 5 to 19-year-olds. Asian Family Services: 0800 862 342 or text 832. Languages spoken: Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, Vietnamese, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, and English. Rural Support Trust Helpline: 0800 787 254. OUTLine: 0800 688 5463.
RNZ News
2 days ago
- RNZ News
NZ's vaccination rates among lowest among high-income countries
Only Canada, San Marino, Ireland, Austria and Argentina had worse childhood vaccination coverage than New Zealand. Photo: CDC Between 2010 and 2019, progress in increasing vaccinations stalled and even reversed in some countries, including in 21 of 36 high-income countries such as Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, UK, and US. Australia had the 6th highest number of unvaccinated children in 2023 among high-income countries. New Zealand and Australia had the 6th and 7th lowest percentage of vaccine coverage, respectively in 2023 among high-income countries. By 2030, only the high-income super region is projected to reach the World Health Organization's 2030 immunisation targets, unless drastic changes are made in the next five years. Childhood vaccination rates have dropped in 21 out of 36 high-income countries, with New Zealand ranking among the lowest in terms of coverage, new research has found. According to the major new analysis from the Global Burden of Disease Study Vaccine Coverage Collaborators, published in The Lancet on Wednesday New Zealand had the sixth lowest rate of coverage in 2023 , just behind Australia. Only Canada, San Marino, Ireland, Austria and Argentina had worse childhood vaccination coverage. Since the World Health Organisation established the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI) in 1974, more than 4 billion children had been vaccinated, preventing the deaths of an estimated 154 million children. Initially focusing on six childhood vaccine-preventable diseases (tuberculosis, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, polio, and measles), the programme later expanded to include protection against Haemophilus influenzae type B, Hepatitis B, rubella, pneumococcal disease, rotavirus, and human papillomavirus. However, the last two decades have also been marked by stagnating childhood vaccination rates and "wide variation" in coverage - a trend further exacerbated by the Covid-19 pandemic, the report noted. "Between 2010 and 2019, coverage gains slowed and, in some areas of the world, reversed. "For example, 21 of 36 high-income countries experienced declines in coverage for at least one of the original EPI-recommended vaccine-doses (excluding the tuberculosis vaccine, which is no longer included in routine immunisation schedules in some countries) - including a 12 percent decline in first dose measles vaccination in Argentina, and 8 percent and 6 percent declines in third dose diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis vaccination in Finland and Austria, respectively. "Additionally, the proportion of children receiving the measles vaccine declined in 100 of 204 countries, with the largest decrease observed in Latin America and the Caribbean, where coverage fell from around 90 percent in 2010 to 87 percent in 2019, resulting in almost one million fewer children being vaccinated against measles in 2019." Lead author Dr Jonathan Mosser from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington said this left millions of "under and un-vaccinated" children vulnerable to preventable disease and death. "Routine childhood vaccinations are among the most powerful and cost-effective public health interventions available, but persistent global inequalities, challenges from the COpandemic, and the growth of vaccine misinformation and hesitancy have all contributed to faltering immunisation progress," he said. "These trends increase the risk of outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases, including measles, polio, and diphtheria, underscoring the critical need for targeted improvements to ensure that all children can benefit from lifesaving immunisations." In 2023, more than half of the world's 15.7m unvaccinated children were living in just eight countries, with 53 percent in sub-Saharan Africa. Vaccine-preventable disease outbreaks persisted, including polio in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Papua New Guinea, where less than half the population is immunised. In 2024, there was a nearly tenfold increase in measles infections recorded in the European Union and the European Economic Area, while the ongoing measles outbreak in the United States reached over 1000 confirmed cases across 30 states by May 2025. The authors stressed that global immunisation goals for 2030 would not be met without targeted strategies and "efforts to tackle vaccine misinformation and hesitancy". Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
