Opening the agency's annual executive board meeting on Monday, WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus defended the agency's work and recent reforms and reiterated a call for the US to reconsider its exit and enter into dialogue with the WHO about further change.
"We would welcome suggestions from the United States, and all member states, for how we can serve you and the people of the world better," he said.
My remarks at the opening of 156th WHO Executive Board meeting. — Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus (@DrTedros) #EB156 https://t.co/93YmxRLMK2February 3, 2025
The budget cut will be on the agenda at the Geneva meeting - from Monday to February 11 - during which member state representatives will discuss the agency's funding and work for the 2026-2027 period.
The executive board proposes cutting the base programs section of the budget from a proposed $US5.3 billion ($A8.6 billion) to $US4.9 billion ($A8.0 billion), according to a document released on Monday.
That is part of the wider $US7.5 billion ($A12.2 billion) budget for 2026/27 that was originally proposed, including money for polio eradication and tackling emergencies.
"With the departure of the biggest financial contributor, the budget could not be 'business as usual,'" the document reads.
The US is the WHO's biggest government donor, contributing about 18 per cent of its overall funding, and has already separately taken some cost-cutting steps after the US move.
However, some board representatives also wanted to send a message that the WHO would preserve its strategic direction despite the challenges, the document adds.
The $4.9 billion is roughly the same as the base program budget for the previous period, 2024/25.
Trump moved to exit the WHO on his first day in office two weeks ago.
The process will take one year under US law.
