A senior official of the World Health Organization has revealed that the body's 2026-2027 budget is short by roughly 40 percent, following a halt in US funding by the administration of President Donald Trump.



WHO Assistant Director-General Nakatani Yukiko said in an interview with NHK that the body has become unable to pay wages for about 800 of its roughly 9,000 worldwide staff members since its biggest fund provider, the United States, announced its withdrawal.



She added that the organization has scaled back the initial budget plan by 20 percent, and has been seeking funds from countries other than the US, but is still facing a shortfall of 1.8 billion dollars, which accounts for about 40 percent of its revised 2026-2027 budget.



This is the first time that the WHO has referred to specific impacts of the Trump administration's policy on its staff and budget.



Nakatani added that cooperation with US government institutions, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is also being affected.



She pointed out that if another pandemic occurs, there could be delays in sharing information about anti-infection measures and creating a system of vaccine supply.



She stressed that if the United States leaves the WHO and there is no exchange of information in that scenario, there is a strong possibility that the world could face an even more difficult situation than the COVID-19 pandemic.



The WHO plans to submit a new budget plan to the World Health Assembly in May, after considering cost-cutting measures, such as large-scale layoffs and office closures.



Nakatani said the WHO has never faced a situation like this in its 77-year history. She added that it is time for the body to review its conventional practices and shift to more efficient and feasible ones.