Global Health Challenge: WHO Launches 2026 Appeal to Reach Millions in Crisis Zones
Amid growing conflicts, climate impacts, and disease outbreaks, the World Health Organization (WHO) has launched its 2026 emergency appeal, requesting close to $1 billion to deliver life-saving health care in humanitarian emergencies worldwide.
The 2026 appeal aims to respond to 36 emergencies, including 14 Grade 3 crises, the highest level of organizational response. These include both sudden-onset disasters and prolonged conflicts where urgent medical care is critical.
WHO Director-General, Tedros Ghebreyesus, described the appeal as more than charity, calling it a “strategic investment in health and security” that restores dignity, stabilizes communities, and provides a pathway toward recovery for affected populations.
The appeal comes as global humanitarian funding declines, with 2025 financing falling below 2016 levels. This left WHO able to reach only one-third of the 81 million people initially targeted for humanitarian health support.
In 2025, the WHO and its partners reached 30 million people through its annual emergency appeal, providing 5.3 million children with vaccinations, facilitating 53 million health consultations, supporting over 8,000 health facilities, and deploying 1,370 mobile clinics to vulnerable communities.
