WHO set to downsize workforce, cut departments from 76 to 34 amid financial squeeze

Indications have emerged that Donald Trump administration’s decision to slash financial assistance from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to health organisations has started having negative impact taking on them.

This is as the World Health Organisation (WHO) on Monday disclosed its move to reduce the number of employees in the global outfit due to lack of money.

The international organization also said that it would reduce the number of its departments from 76 to 34.

The Director-General, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said this on Monday.

“As you know, we have been engaging in a major structural realignment, guided by an in-depth analysis of priorities.

“The prioritisation exercise has informed the development of a new streamlined structure for headquarters, which reduced the executive management team from 14 to 7.

“The number of departments from 76 to 34”. Tedros said in a report to the World Health Assembly.