The World Health Organization has launched a global appeal to ensure millions of people affected by humanitarian crises and conflicts receive essential health care.
The 2026 appeal aims to raise nearly one billion U.S. dollars to respond to 36 acute emergencies worldwide, including 14 level‑3 emergencies that demand the highest‑level organizational response, the WHO announced on Tuesday. These emergencies cover both sudden and protracted crises in which health needs are critical.
WHO Director‑General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the appeal as a call to provide not only services but also confidence that the international community will not abandon those suffering from conflict, displacement, or disaster. “This is not charity; it is a strategic investment in health and safety” he said. By delivering health care, dignity is restored, communities are stabilized, and pathways to recovery are opened.
Priority countries for 2026 emergency action include Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Myanmar, the occupied Palestinian territories, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Yemen, and ongoing outbreaks of cholera and monkeypox.
In 2025, the WHO and its partners claimed to have supported 30 million people through the annual emergency appeal. That funding allowed life‑saving vaccinations for 5.3 million children, 53 million health consultations, support for more than 8,000 health facilities, and the operation of 1,370 mobile clinics.
