Ministers Address Global Health Financing Crisis at World Health Assembly
Geneva, Thursday, 22 May 2025.
The 78th World Health Assembly tackles an urgent health financing emergency amid sharp funding cuts, urging data-driven, country-led strategies for sustainable financial solutions.
Critical Ministerial Dialogue
At the heart of the 78th World Health Assembly in Geneva, ministers from multiple nations convened on May 21, 2025, to address the pressing challenge of abrupt cuts in external health funding. The ministerial dialogue, co-hosted by WHO and the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, brought together representatives from Barbados, Central African Republic, Egypt, Liberia, Malawi, Rwanda, and Sierra Leone [1]. This historic assembly occurs against the backdrop of significant changes in global health participation, notably marked by the first U.S. absence in nearly 80 years [4].
Data-Driven Solutions
Professor Senait Fisseha, Vice President of Global Programs at the Susan Thompson Buffett Foundation, emphasized the critical need to reimagine data and financing systems to meet country-specific requirements [1]. The assembly’s focus on data-driven solutions comes at a crucial time, as WHO faces a substantial budget crisis, with projections indicating a shortfall of $600 million for its 2024-2025 budget [4]. This financial strain has prompted WHO to consider reducing its proposed budget for 2026-2027 by approximately 20% [4].
Historic Pandemic Agreement
In a landmark development during the assembly, member states formally adopted the world’s first Pandemic Agreement on May 20, 2025. The agreement, approved with 124 votes in favor and 11 abstentions, represents a crucial step toward ensuring more equitable global responses to future health crises [3]. The agreement establishes clear guidelines for international coordination in pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response, with a particular focus on ensuring equitable access to health products [3].
Financial Innovation and Future Outlook
The World Economic Forum’s Annual Health Roundtable, held alongside the assembly on May 20-21, 2025, highlighted the urgent need for innovative funding models to address emerging health challenges [6]. Current projections indicate that climate impact alone could lead to 14.5 million additional deaths by 2050, while the global aging population is expected to double within the next 25 years [6]. These challenges underscore the critical importance of developing sustainable financing mechanisms for global health initiatives [6].