Amman, November 3 (Petra) – The World Health Organisation (WHO) urged on Monday the international community to take urgent action to secure funding for essential health systems in low-income countries burdened by heavy debt and declining aid.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned during a meeting in Geneva that "the world is currently facing a global health financing emergency that requires coordinated and urgent action." He explained that "drastic budget cuts have caused severe disruptions to health systems and services," adding that "one-third of countries are now reporting acute shortages of essential medicines and health programmes." The organisation noted that international aid directed toward the health sector is projected to decline by more than 30 per cent in 2025 compared with 2023 levels.

March data indicated that around 70 per cent of low- and middle-income countries experienced direct disruptions to their health services.

//Petra// AK