WHO launches 2026 appeal to help millions of people in health emergencies and crisis settings

The World Health Organization (WHO) today launched its 2026 global appeal to ensure that millions of people living in humanitarian crises and conflicts can access health care.

In 2025, WHO and partners supported 30 million people funded through its annual emergency appeal. These resources helped deliver life-saving vaccination to 5.3 million children, enabled 53 million health consultations, supported more than 8000 health facilities, and facilitated the deployment of 1370 mobile clinics.

The 2026 appeal seeks nearly US$ 1 billion to respond to 36 emergencies worldwide, including 14 Grade 3 emergencies requiring the highest level of organizational response. These emergencies span sudden-onset and protracted humanitarian crises where health needs are critical.

"This appeal is a call to stand with people living through conflict, displacement and disaster - to give them not just services, but the confidence that the world has not turned its back on them," said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. "It is not charity. It is a strategic investment in health and security. In fact, access to health care restores dignity, stabilizes communities and offers a pathway toward recovery."

The 2026 appeal comes at a time of converging global pressures. Protracted conflicts, the escalating impacts of climate change and recurrent infectious disease outbreaks are driving increasing demand for health emergency support - while global humanitarian financing continues to contract.

In 2025, humanitarian funding fell below 2016 levels, leaving WHO and partners able to reach only one-third of the 81 million people originally targeted to receive humanitarian health assistance.

Renewed commitments and solidarity are urgently needed to protect and support the people living in the most fragile and vulnerable settings.

Priorities in responding to health emergencies

WHO's priority emergency response areas in 2026 will include Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Myanmar, the occupied Palestinian territory, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, the Syrian Arab Republic, Ukraine and Yemen, as well as ongoing outbreaks of cholera and mpox.

As the lead agency for health response in humanitarian settings, WHO coordinates more than 1500 partners across 24 crisis settings globally, ensuring that national authorities and local partners remain at the centre of emergency response.

Speaking as co-chair at the launch event, Ambassador Noel White, Permanent Representative of Ireland to the United Nations Office in Geneva said "Every humanitarian crisis is a health crisis. That is why Ireland is proud to support the WHO emergency response through unearmarked, flexible and predictable funding of the Contingency Fund for Emergencies."

Also speaking as co-chair at the event, Ms Marita Sørheim-Rensvik, Deputy Permanent Representative of Norway to the United Nations Office at Geneva, said: "In today's most complex emergencies, WHO remains indispensable - protecting health, upholding international humanitarian law, and ensuring life-saving care reaches people in places where few others can operate. From safeguarding access to sexual and reproductive health and rights to supporting frontline health workers under immense strain, WHO's role is vital. Norway calls on all Member States to strengthen support for WHO so it can continue delivering for those who need it most."

WHO and partners' emergency response actions include

• keeping essential health facilities operational;
• delivering emergency medical supplies and trauma care;
• preventing and responding to outbreaks;
• restoring routine immunization; and
• ensuring access to sexual and reproductive, maternal and child health services in fragile and conflict-affected settings.

Early, predictable investment enables WHO and partners to respond immediately when crises strike - reducing death and disease, containing outbreaks and preventing health risks from escalating into wider humanitarian and health security crises with far greater human and financial costs.

While WHO and other humanitarian partners have been forced to make difficult choices to prioritize the most critical interventions, what remains are the most impactful activities. With the requested resources, WHO can sustain life-saving care in the world's most severe emergencies, while building a bridge towards peace.