By Ayomide Otitoju
During discussions in Committee A of the Assembly, Member States agreed today the draft resolution with the proposed programme of work for the next two years (2024-2025).The budget to deliver on this programme was also agreed, at US$ 6.83 billion, the most ambitious to date, and which includes a historical 20% increase of assessed contributions (or membership fees). The Secretariat and the Director-General thanked Member States for the overwhelming strong support for the resolution, and the confidence and trust placed in WHO. Nearly forty Member States took the floor. Decisions taken during the week in the Committees, are subject to a final procedural step, of approval by the plenary at the end of the Assembly.
Financing the programme budget is essential to ensuring that WHO with its Member States can achieve the triple billion targets. Investing in WHO returns US$ 35 for every US$ 1 invested, highlights WHO’s investment case
The budget is allocated around the following strategic priorities : One billion more people benefiting from universal health coverage, US$ 1966.4 million; One billion more people better protected from health emergencies, US$ 1214.0 million; One billion more people enjoying better health and well-being, US$ 437.7 million; More effective and efficient WHO support to countries, US$ 1350.0 million;
This makes a total of US$ 4968.2 million for the base programmes, which remains unchanged with respect the Programme budget 2022–2023;
In addition, the approved budget includes:Polio eradication (US$ 694.3 million), special programmes (US$ 171.7 million) totalling US$ 866.0 million; Emergency operations and appeals (US$ 1000 million).
With the increased assessed contributions, Member States will contribute US$ 1148.3 million towards this budget with their membership fees. The rest, US$ 5 685.8 million will be covered by voluntary contributions made by Member States and other contributors.
The 20% increase of assessed contributions was a commitment agreed by last year’s Health Assembly , one of the recommendations made by the Working Group on Sustainable Financing. Other recommendations linked to WHO’S sustainable financing covering reforms on accountability, governance and financing will be further considered this week.
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