By AFP
February 5, 2025
Tania Cernuschi is aiming to raise $1 billion to make up for US contributions
- Copyright AFP Amani Alimasi
Agnès PEDRERO
When the World Health Organization’s top donor the United States announced its withdrawal, one employee launched an online fundraiser to plug the gap — and her efforts have already raised more than $100,000.
Tania Cernuschi, 46, told AFP she had the brainwave just after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order announcing Washington would leave the WHO, one of his first actions on returning to office on January 20.
The WHO’s financial shortfall is set to grow further after Argentina announced Wednesday it was also quitting the UN health agency.
Cernuschi is aiming to raise $1 billion to make up for US contributions, which amounted to $1.3 billion — or 16 percent of the WHO’s budget — for the years 2022-2023.
“I was disturbed by the news,” said Cernuschi, an Italian development economist who has been at the WHO for 10 years.
“I woke up in the morning and thought of the campaign, and asked whether I could go ahead. And nobody stopped me.”
She launched her “One Dollar, One World” fundraising page on the website of the WHO Foundation — the arm of the UN agency that matches private finance with high-impact health projects.
“I’m asking for one dollar from a billion people, for $1 billion in total. But people can give more,” she said, adding that all funds go directly to the foundation.
More than 3,000 donors from countries across the world have chipped in, she said, raising some $104,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.
“We have about 20 who have given more than $500 and we’re expecting a big donation in the coming days of $20,000 which would be great,” she said.
– Individuals ‘critical’ –
The WHO Foundation was launched in 2020 to mobilise private donations for the health agency in a similar way to other UN bodies.
“Individual giving is critical for many international organisations,” said WHO Foundation chief executive Anil Soni.
“UNICEF raises over a billion a year. UNHCR $500 million per year,” he said, referring to the UN children’s and refugee agencies.”
The WHO Foundation has so far “built up a community of 40,000 individuals” who have donated, Soni told AFP.
Overall, it has brought in $6 million from individuals and $26 million from companies since 2021 — including $5 million from US social media giant Meta.
– ‘Big frustration’ –
Cernuschi had thought her initiative might not even raise $200, and said it was “more an act of solidarity than a fundraising campaign”.
“I’ve worked all my life in the UN system and in non-governmental organisations, and I believe in what I do,” said Cernuschi, who used to work for UNICEF and the Gavi vaccine alliance.
While individuals and businesses cannot be expected to carry the burden of funding the WHO, she said the agency must better explain its work — particularly in developed countries.
“There’s a lot of thinking that we work for poor countries — which we do — but there is a benefit also to citizens in richer nations,” she said, citing how the bulk of the vaccines and medicines are produced in wealthy states.
She also admitted to feeling a “big, big frustration” with UN bureaucracy.
“We all need to become more agile, more flexible, more impactful, more efficient,” the economist said.
But she stressed that the WHO saves thousands of lives every day across 194 countries with a budget of “less than a major city hospital”.
“I call that efficient,” she added.
Agnès PEDRERO
When the World Health Organization’s top donor the United States announced its withdrawal, one employee launched an online fundraiser to plug the gap — and her efforts have already raised more than $100,000.
Tania Cernuschi, 46, told AFP she had the brainwave just after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order announcing Washington would leave the WHO, one of his first actions on returning to office on January 20.
The WHO’s financial shortfall is set to grow further after Argentina announced Wednesday it was also quitting the UN health agency.
Cernuschi is aiming to raise $1 billion to make up for US contributions, which amounted to $1.3 billion — or 16 percent of the WHO’s budget — for the years 2022-2023.
“I was disturbed by the news,” said Cernuschi, an Italian development economist who has been at the WHO for 10 years.
“I woke up in the morning and thought of the campaign, and asked whether I could go ahead. And nobody stopped me.”
She launched her “One Dollar, One World” fundraising page on the website of the WHO Foundation — the arm of the UN agency that matches private finance with high-impact health projects.
“I’m asking for one dollar from a billion people, for $1 billion in total. But people can give more,” she said, adding that all funds go directly to the foundation.
More than 3,000 donors from countries across the world have chipped in, she said, raising some $104,000 as of Wednesday afternoon.
“We have about 20 who have given more than $500 and we’re expecting a big donation in the coming days of $20,000 which would be great,” she said.
– Individuals ‘critical’ –
The WHO Foundation was launched in 2020 to mobilise private donations for the health agency in a similar way to other UN bodies.
“Individual giving is critical for many international organisations,” said WHO Foundation chief executive Anil Soni.
“UNICEF raises over a billion a year. UNHCR $500 million per year,” he said, referring to the UN children’s and refugee agencies.”
The WHO Foundation has so far “built up a community of 40,000 individuals” who have donated, Soni told AFP.
Overall, it has brought in $6 million from individuals and $26 million from companies since 2021 — including $5 million from US social media giant Meta.
– ‘Big frustration’ –
Cernuschi had thought her initiative might not even raise $200, and said it was “more an act of solidarity than a fundraising campaign”.
“I’ve worked all my life in the UN system and in non-governmental organisations, and I believe in what I do,” said Cernuschi, who used to work for UNICEF and the Gavi vaccine alliance.
While individuals and businesses cannot be expected to carry the burden of funding the WHO, she said the agency must better explain its work — particularly in developed countries.
“There’s a lot of thinking that we work for poor countries — which we do — but there is a benefit also to citizens in richer nations,” she said, citing how the bulk of the vaccines and medicines are produced in wealthy states.
She also admitted to feeling a “big, big frustration” with UN bureaucracy.
“We all need to become more agile, more flexible, more impactful, more efficient,” the economist said.
But she stressed that the WHO saves thousands of lives every day across 194 countries with a budget of “less than a major city hospital”.
“I call that efficient,” she added.
FASCIST PETITE MINI ME
Argentina to exit WHO in latest break with international bodies
The Milei administration is also considering withdrawal from other international agreements, including the Paris climate accord. / bne IntelliNews
By bne IntelliNews February 5, 2025
Argentina will pull out of the World Health Organisation, marking President Javier Milei's latest move to distance the country from international institutions that his administration views as ideologically opposed to its agenda.
The widely-anticipated decision was announced on February 5 by presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni at the Casa Rosada, who cited "deep differences" over pandemic management. Adorni particularly criticised the WHO's role during what he called "the longest lockdown in the history of humanity" under former president Alberto Fernández.
The withdrawal mirrors a similar move by Donald Trump in the US, where the returning president announced his country's exit from the UN agency last month. Milei's right-wing administration has indicated this may be part of a broader withdrawal from international organisations that it considers "strongholds of socialist ideas".
Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein, along with Economy Minister Luis Caputo and Deregulation Minister Federico Sturzenegger, has been tasked with examining the implications of Argentina's planned departure from various international bodies. The government maintains that WHO membership costs Argentina approximately $10mn annually, with additional expenses for representatives' salaries and travel.
The WHO is already grappling with budget pressures following the US withdrawal. At the Executive Board meeting on February 3, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus proposed reducing the organisation's 2026-2027 budget from $7.47bn to approximately $7.05bn. The US had previously contributed more than 10 per cent of the WHO's total budget.
Sources close to the president cited by La Nacion revealed that Tedros had attempted to arrange meetings with both Milei and his sister Karina, who serves as general secretary of the presidency, but was turned down on both occasions. The first attempt came during a corridor encounter at the G20 summit last November.
Adorni insisted the withdrawal would not result in financial losses for Argentina, instead arguing it would provide "greater flexibility to implement policies" aligned with national interests. The spokesman added that Argentina would not "allow an international organisation to interfere in our sovereignty".
Buenos Aires is also mulling withdrawal from other international agreements, including the Paris climate accord. The president's stance on international organisations appears to align with views expressed in his 2020 book "Pandemonics", where he described Covid-19 lockdowns as a "crime against humanity".
The self-styled “anarcho-libertarian” leader recently shared social media posts by controversial right-wing pundits who claimed global warming is a “dishonest scam” and that scientific records show no evidence of a climate crisis.
The WHO departure follows Argentina's earlier refusal to sign the organisation's pandemic protocol in July 2023. The UN agency, which coordinates global responses to health threats including monkeypox, Ebola and polio, also provides technical assistance to developing nations and helps distribute vaccines and treatments.
The Milei administration is also considering withdrawal from other international agreements, including the Paris climate accord. / bne IntelliNews
By bne IntelliNews February 5, 2025
Argentina will pull out of the World Health Organisation, marking President Javier Milei's latest move to distance the country from international institutions that his administration views as ideologically opposed to its agenda.
The widely-anticipated decision was announced on February 5 by presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni at the Casa Rosada, who cited "deep differences" over pandemic management. Adorni particularly criticised the WHO's role during what he called "the longest lockdown in the history of humanity" under former president Alberto Fernández.
The withdrawal mirrors a similar move by Donald Trump in the US, where the returning president announced his country's exit from the UN agency last month. Milei's right-wing administration has indicated this may be part of a broader withdrawal from international organisations that it considers "strongholds of socialist ideas".
Foreign Minister Gerardo Werthein, along with Economy Minister Luis Caputo and Deregulation Minister Federico Sturzenegger, has been tasked with examining the implications of Argentina's planned departure from various international bodies. The government maintains that WHO membership costs Argentina approximately $10mn annually, with additional expenses for representatives' salaries and travel.
The WHO is already grappling with budget pressures following the US withdrawal. At the Executive Board meeting on February 3, Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus proposed reducing the organisation's 2026-2027 budget from $7.47bn to approximately $7.05bn. The US had previously contributed more than 10 per cent of the WHO's total budget.
Sources close to the president cited by La Nacion revealed that Tedros had attempted to arrange meetings with both Milei and his sister Karina, who serves as general secretary of the presidency, but was turned down on both occasions. The first attempt came during a corridor encounter at the G20 summit last November.
Adorni insisted the withdrawal would not result in financial losses for Argentina, instead arguing it would provide "greater flexibility to implement policies" aligned with national interests. The spokesman added that Argentina would not "allow an international organisation to interfere in our sovereignty".
Buenos Aires is also mulling withdrawal from other international agreements, including the Paris climate accord. The president's stance on international organisations appears to align with views expressed in his 2020 book "Pandemonics", where he described Covid-19 lockdowns as a "crime against humanity".
The self-styled “anarcho-libertarian” leader recently shared social media posts by controversial right-wing pundits who claimed global warming is a “dishonest scam” and that scientific records show no evidence of a climate crisis.
The WHO departure follows Argentina's earlier refusal to sign the organisation's pandemic protocol in July 2023. The UN agency, which coordinates global responses to health threats including monkeypox, Ebola and polio, also provides technical assistance to developing nations and helps distribute vaccines and treatments.
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