LIVE | @DrTedros’ Statement at the Global Forum of the WHO Collaborating Centre

Why It Matters

The announcement ties WHO’s expansive research network to a new, more stable financing model, a critical step for sustaining global health programs and correcting regional inequities, especially in Africa.

Key Takeaways

• WHO network includes over 800 collaborating centers across 80 countries.
• WHO Academy served 80,000 learners in 196 countries during first year.
• Funding reform targets 50% member contributions by 2031 for stability.
• Africa holds just 3% of centers despite 15% global population.
• Leaders urge dedicated financing to boost African collaborating center capacity.

Summary

Dr. Tedros addressed the inaugural Global Forum of WHO Collaborating Centres, marking World Health Day and highlighting the organization’s historic reliance on a worldwide network of research institutions. He outlined how more than 800 centres in 80 nations conduct over 4,000 activities, from influenza reference samples to antimicrobial‑resistance surveillance, and introduced the WHO Academy – a new learning platform that reached 80,000 health workers in 196 countries during its first year, offering 400 courses in 23 languages. The speech emphasized a major financing reform: increasing flexible, member‑state contributions from the current 14% to roughly 50% of the WHO budget by 2031. This shift is designed to cushion the agency against sudden donor cuts, such as recent U.S. funding withdrawals, and to secure a more independent operational footing. Dr. Tedros also announced that the global forum will become an annual event for the next two years before moving to a biennial schedule, with the next meeting slated for April 7 in Geneva. Examples of the network’s impact were cited, including a plague‑research centre in Madagascar, AMR hubs in Australia and Japan, and a disaster‑management centre in Saudi Arabia. South African Minister Dr. Aron Mashedi underscored the stark geographic imbalance—Africa hosts only 26 of the 800 centres despite bearing 15‑18% of the world’s disease burden—and called for a formal multilateral funding mechanism to strengthen African scientific capacity. The implications are clear: strengthening partnerships with the WHO Academy and securing dedicated financing for under‑represented regions are essential to translate scientific breakthroughs into policy and practice. By broadening the donor base and institutionalizing support for collaborating centres, WHO aims to maintain its convening power, ensure evidence‑driven health policies, and move closer to the constitutional goal of the highest attainable standard of health for all.