The World Health Organization (WHO) is mired in a funding shortage that is already hampering operations, its top emergency expert told health ministers on Tuesday.
Mike Ryan, noting the WHO's appeal in February for $1.96 billion for its pandemic response this year, told the annual assembly: "The funding shortfall of more than 70% when only received funds are considered has left the organisation in real imminent danger of being unable to sustain core functions for urgent priorities."
"This underfunding and earmarking of funds risks paralysing WHO's ability to provide rapid and flexible support to countries and is already having consequences for current operations," he said.
(Reporting by Stephanie Nebehay; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
