Loading News Article...
We're loading the full news article for you. This includes the article content, images, author information, and related articles.
We're loading the full news article for you. This includes the article content, images, author information, and related articles.
The World Health Organization's massive staff reduction, forced by the withdrawal of its top donor, the United States, places critical public health initiatives in Kenya, from disease surveillance to immunisation campaigns, at significant risk.

NAIROBI, KENYA – Wednesday, 19 November 2025, 7:30 AM EAT – The World Health Organization (WHO) is set to eliminate 2,371 jobs by June 2026, a reduction of nearly a quarter of its global workforce, following the official withdrawal of the United States from the agency in January 2025. The move has sent shockwaves through the global health community, with immediate and severe implications feared for nations like Kenya that rely on the UN agency's technical and financial support.
The drastic cuts were confirmed in a presentation to member states in Geneva and in a message to staff from Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who described the restructuring as a "painful but necessary process." The United States was the single largest contributor to the WHO, providing approximately 15-18% of its total budget. The departure leaves a significant financial void that other member states and donors are unlikely to fill completely.
The WHO's presence in Kenya is not merely administrative; it is deeply integrated into the nation's health infrastructure. Through its Country Cooperation Strategy (CCS) for 2024–2030, the WHO collaborates directly with the Ministry of Health to advance Universal Health Coverage (UHC), tackle diseases, and respond to health emergencies. The impending job cuts and funding gap threaten to undermine decades of progress in several key areas.
According to Kenya's Director-General of Health, Dr. Patrick Amoth, the withdrawal jeopardises numerous critical health initiatives. Speaking in January 2025, Dr. Amoth confirmed that Kenya was exploring strategies to mitigate the impact, including strengthening regional partnerships and increasing domestic health financing. Key programmes now facing uncertainty include:
The impact extends beyond Kenya's borders, threatening the entire East African region's health security architecture. The WHO's Regional Office for Africa (AFRO), based in Brazzaville, Congo, coordinates cross-border health initiatives and supports regional bodies. A diminished WHO places a greater burden on the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), an institution that works in close partnership with the WHO to manage regional health emergencies. This collaboration is vital for tackling the more than 100 disease outbreaks Africa confronts annually.
In response to previous funding threats, the Ministry of Health has emphasised the need to increase local resources for health to ensure sustainability. In February 2025, Health Cabinet Secretary Deborah Barasa announced the Ministry was seeking Sh33.5 billion in emergency funding from the National Treasury to bridge the gap left by a broader freeze in US foreign aid. The WHO cuts will add further strain to the national budget.
As the WHO begins this significant downsizing, health officials in Kenya and across the continent will be forced to make difficult decisions about which programs to prioritize. The full effect of these 2,371 job losses will become clearer in the coming months, but the immediate challenge is how to protect the health of millions of Kenyans with fewer resources and diminished global support. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REQUIRED.