Geneva: The World Health Organization (WHO) on Tuesday launched an urgent humanitarian appeal of USD one billion to sustain essential health services in 36 of the world's most severe crises in 2026, including Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Haiti, and Myanmar. "A quarter of a billion people are living through humanitarian crises that strip away the most basic protections safety and access to healthcare. Access to care is shrinking today as conflicts and disasters escalate," said Executive Director of the WHO Health Emergencies Programme Chikwe Ihekweazu during a press briefing in Geneva.
According to Kuwait News Agency, Ihekweazu added that the WHO's appeal for 2026 has been scaled back to USD one billion compared to last year's appeal, reflecting global funding realities and donor pressures, noting that last year's USD 1.5 billion raised only USD 900 million. Ihekweazu warned that last year's reduction in international funding forced the closure or scaling down of around 6,700 health facilities, cutting 53 million people off from essential services.
"Families living on the edge face impossible decisions such as whether to buy food or medicine. People should never have to make these choices," he said. "We are focusing on those most in need, where we can save the most lives," Ihekweazu explained. He also warned that not providing the required resources will increase the world's vulnerability to epidemics and cross-border diseases, stressing that investing in health is one of the most cost-effective investments, helping contain crises and prevent them from escalating.