CURRENT AFFAIRS
CURRENT AFFAIRS
Description
The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm over significant disruptions in global health services, attributing the setbacks to reductions in official development assistance (ODA) for healthcare. These funding cuts are especially damaging to fragile healthcare systems in low- and lower-middle-income countries, prompting urgent calls for international cooperation and strategic responses.
Widespread Impact On Health Services
Between March and April 2025, the WHO assessed health systems across 108 of its country offices, primarily located in developing nations. The findings were concerning: over 50% of these countries reported moderate to severe interruptions to health programs due to foreign aid cutbacks.
The key areas most impacted include:
Emergency preparedness and response – affected in 70% of countries
Public health surveillance systems – disrupted in 66%
Service delivery – compromised in 58%
Humanitarian aid – reduced in 56%
Health workforce support – hit in 54%
These disruptions mirror the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing lingering vulnerabilities in the global healthcare framework.
Critical Health Services At Risk
The WHO report also highlighted substantial interruptions in essential health services such as:
Outbreak response and disease detection (including HIV, TB, malaria, and STIs)
Maternal and child health programs
Family planning and reproductive healthcare
Moreover, one-third of the countries surveyed reported shortages in essential medicines and medical supplies. Additionally, over half experienced job losses and halted training for health workers, leading to long-term consequences on service quality and capacity.
Health System Infrastructure Affected
Health information systems, such as disease surveillance and national health surveys, have been disrupted in over 40% of countries.
In 24% of countries, individuals now face increased out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, placing a heavier financial burden on poor and marginalized populations.
A Push Toward Self-Reliance
While the crisis presents serious challenges, it has also spurred momentum toward building self-sufficient health systems. Encouragingly, 81 countries have sought WHO support to explore:
New financing mechanisms
Technical assistance
Improved health system planning
This trend reflects a shift toward domestic investment in healthcare, reducing dependency on foreign aid in the long run.
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