In a significant show of support for global health, countries of the WHO South-East Asia Region and key partner organizations have pledged more than USD 345 million, along with in-kind contributions, towards the World Health Organization (WHO) and its next Global Programme of Work. The pledges were announced during a special ceremony held on the opening day of the WHO South-East Asia Regional Committee meeting, emphasizing the importance of sustainable and predictable funding for achieving health targets and saving millions of lives.

The event brought together representatives from Ministries of Health and prominent development and philanthropic partners, including the Gates Foundation, Gavi, the Global Fund, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), Rotary International, the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, UNICEF, the Asian Development Bank, and JHIEPIGO. The collective commitment reflects a unified vision for advancing health outcomes across the region.

“Our region, which is home to a quarter of the world’s population, faces numerous challenges. Yet, it also has incredible resources and commitment, both from our Ministries of Health and partners, who have clearly identified where and how they wish to contribute to investing in a healthier region,” said Saima Wazed, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia. “This is immensely gratifying to us and the vision we have for this region.”

The pledges made at the ceremony are intended to support WHO’s operations from 2025 to 2028, with the goal of saving 40 million lives. Timor-Leste led the pledging round with a remarkable commitment of USD 1 million. India, already the sixth-largest contributor to WHO’s core funding globally, pledged over USD 300 million to support programs in traditional medicine and digital health, in addition to offering close to USD 5 million in flexible thematic funding. Other countries, including Indonesia and Bhutan, have committed to announce their contributions in the coming weeks.

Leaders of international health organizations also underscored the importance of financing WHO’s work. Dr. Sania Nishtar, CEO of GAVI, and Ms. Francoise Vanni, Director of External Relations at the Global Fund, emphasized that investing in WHO is essential for strengthening health systems and addressing global health challenges. The Gates Foundation, represented by Mr. Hari Menon, its Director for South-East Asia, pledged an initial USD 42 million to support WHO’s initiatives in infectious diseases, vaccine delivery, maternal and child health, and digital health.

Speaking on behalf of WHO’s Director-General, Dr. Razia Pendse, Chief of Cabinet at the Director-General’s Office, expressed gratitude to the Member States and partners. “Today was an incredible demonstration of solidarity for WHO and its mission. I am extremely thankful to our Member States and partners for their continued confidence in us and our shared goal to promote, provide, and protect health and well-being for all, especially the most vulnerable,” she said.

The event marks the beginning of a series of pledging activities leading up to a grand ceremony scheduled to take place on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in November, hosted by Brazil. WHO’s current financing requirement for the 2025-2028 period stands at USD 7.1 billion, of which USD 2.2 billion has already been recorded as projected funding. The funds being sought are essential to supporting WHO’s core work and fulfilling its mandate to ensure health equity and access for all, especially in vulnerable and underserved communities.

The pledges made during the ceremony are a crucial step toward building a healthier and more equitable future for the South-East Asia Region and beyond. By aligning resources and efforts, WHO and its partners aim to deliver transformative health outcomes that will benefit every individual and community across the globe.