Berlin, October 15, 2024 – Last night at the World Health Summit, the WHO Foundation announced a multi-year commitment of US$ 50 million to the World Health Organization (WHO) for its work in 2025-2028, which it estimates will save 40 million lives.
The WHO Foundation’s CEO, Anil Soni, joined a gathering of more than two dozen presidents, prime ministers, and leaders of governments, companies, and philanthropies, to rally behind a common purpose – health for all – and to support WHO as an indispensable engine uniquely qualified to achieve that vision on a global scale. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, speaking at the event, declared that “the WHO’s work benefits us all.”
Together, these leaders made US$ 700 million in new funding commitments alongside US$ 300 million in reaffirmed support, totaling US$ 1 billion for WHO. Representatives of a dozen nations in Europe pledged, alongside a number of philanthropies from around the world, including the Gates Foundation, the Wellcome Trust, and Hong Kong’s Institute of Philanthropy.
Soni announced in the WHO Foundation’s pledge new contributions from corporate partners, including Sanofi, to help WHO eliminate sleeping sickness and operate emergency hubs to respond more quickly to disease outbreaks and natural disasters; Boehringer Ingelheim, to support suicide prevention in the Americas; and Novo Nordisk, for prevention and care of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes.
“We have an opportunity to make health more equitable,” said Soni, “creating systems that are united and resilient against shared threats like climate change, outbreaks, and rising mental health issues. We’ve engaged companies across industries and philanthropies from around the world to power WHO’s lifesaving work, bringing the public and private sectors together.”
The pledges announced in Berlin are part of WHO’s first-ever Investment Round, launched in Geneva at the World Health Assembly in May and culminating at next month’s G20 Summit, in Rio de Janeiro and chaired by Brazilian President Lula da Silva. The Investment Round aims to fully finance WHO’s Fourteenth General Programme of Work (GPW14), spanning from 2025 to 2028, with the goal of more predictable, flexible, and resilient funding for the organization’s work across more than 150 countries.
The WHO Foundation’s corporate partners pledged support for WHO’s General Programme of Work:
“Today, as we face challenges of unprecedented scale – from health crises to climate change and geopolitical instability – it is essential that we join forces across all sectors,” said Audrey Duval, Executive President, Corporate Affairs at Sanofi. “Sanofi and Foundation S are dedicated to advancing health equity and sustainability, which is why I am proud to announce our pledge of nearly US$ 60 million to support the World Health Organization over the next four years. This commitment reinforces our belief in the power of cross-sector collaboration to bridge critical gaps, strengthen healthcare systems, and build a better, more resilient world for all.”
“One in eight people globally live with a mental health condition. Limited or no access to help for patients is alarming, especially in underserved communities. In partnering with the WHO Foundation, we want to increase access to life-saving healthcare services. In particular, we want to partner on more effective suicide prevention in the Americas,” said Médard Schoenmaeckers, Global Head of Corporate Affairs at Boehringer Ingelheim.
Nicolai Haugaard, Vice President and Global Head of Health Equity, Novo Nordisk said: “We are delighted to announce Novo Nordisk’s support to the World Health Organization. We are proud to support WHO’s mandate to promote healthy and safer lives, serving the vulnerable worldwide, particularly improving prevention and care of non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries. Today, we therefore pledge US$ 2.9 million as part of the private sector contribution to the Investment Round, through the WHO Foundation, in support of the 14th WHO Global Programme of Work for 2025-2028.”
The WHO Foundation’s pledge in Berlin pools together contributions from a range of partners, including previous commitments from the ELMA Philanthropies, Firuza Foundation, Maybelline New York, and TikTok; it also reflects contributions which will be finalized in the coming months.
The Geneva-based WHO Foundation, now in its fourth year, was established as an independent entity to harness philanthropic, business, and public donations to create long-term impact in global health by supporting WHO and its mission. It works closely with WHO, but is operationally and financially independent.
“The Foundation believes everyone – business, philanthropists, and individuals – can contribute to a stronger WHO and a healthier world,” said Soni. “This US$ 50 million pledge is just the start of what we will be able to mobilize and achieve with WHO in the years ahead.”
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Carolyn Davenport-Moncel, WHO Foundation
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Anna Egan, WHO Foundation
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WHO Foundation