The WHO has appealed for $1 billion in 2026 to provide health support for millions affected by conflict and disaster worldwide.
GENEVA: The World Health Organisation has launched a $1 billion global appeal to provide healthcare for millions of people affected by humanitarian crises, conflicts and displacement. The 2026 appeal covers 36 emergencies worldwide, including 14 classified as the highest-level crises.
Speaking at the launch, WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the appeal was not only about services but also about reassurance. “This appeal is a call to stand with people living through conflict, displacement and disaster to give them not just services, but the confidence that the world has not turned its back on them,” he said.
The funding request comes at a time when humanitarian and health budgets face their sharpest decline in a decade. WHO highlighted that global defence spending now exceeds $2.5 trillion annually, while nearly a quarter of a billion people are struggling to access healthcare due to emergencies that have stripped away basic safety and shelter.
Dr Tedros urged the global community to prioritise healthcare in crisis settings and maintain international solidarity. The appeal aims to ensure life-saving medical care, emergency response and disease prevention for populations facing ongoing or sudden crises.
The agency said the funding will support WHO’s work in conflict zones, areas affected by climate-related disasters and regions with mass displacement. The goal is to provide a coordinated health response that addresses both immediate and long-term needs in vulnerable communities.
With growing global instability and shrinking humanitarian funds, WHO warned that underfunding now could cost many lives. The organisation called on governments, institutions and donors to support the appeal and protect access to healthcare for the world’s most at-risk populations.
