WHO creates foundation to broaden funding base

The World Health Organization on Wednesday announced the creation of the WHO Foundation to broaden its donor base and add more flexibility in its funding arrangements.

The Geneva-based foundation will be an independent grant-making entity to support the WHO's efforts to address the most pressing global health challenges. It will support global public health needs by providing funds to the WHO and trusted implementing partners to deliver on the agency's "triple billion" goals, the organization said.

Featured in the WHO's five-year strategic plan, the goals aim to protect 1 billion people from health emergencies; extend universal health coverage to 1 billion people; and ensure healthy lives and wellbeing for 1 billion people by 2023.

The idea to establish such a foundation was first suggested by a staff member to generate funding for the WHO from sources it has not previously tapped, including the general public. Until now the WHO has been one of the few international organizations that has not received donations from ordinary people.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that one of the greatest threats to the WHO's success is that less than 20 percent of its budget comes in the form of flexible assessed contributions from member states, while more than 80 percent is voluntary contributions, which are usually tightly earmarked for special programs.

"In effect, that means the WHO has little discretion over the way it spends its funds," he told a virtual news conference from Geneva.

The organization has been working hard to encourage member states to increase the proportion of flexible funds they give it. "We're very grateful for those countries that have given us greater flexibility in recent years," Tedros said.

More flexibility needed

"But for the WHO to fulfill its mission and mandate, there is clear need to broaden our donor base, and to improve both the quantity and quality of funding we receive－meaning more flexibility."

Early last week, the administration of US President Donald Trump threatened to permanently cut off US funding to the WHO and even withdraw US membership if the agency does not make substantive improvements in 30 days. The Trump administration has blamed the WHO for mismanagement of the pandemic.

"The WHO deserves a strong, independent, external advocate who can support and strengthen its impact," said Thomas Zeltner, founder of the WHO Foundation and former secretary of health of Switzerland, and director-general of the Swiss National Health Authority.