The Director-General of the World Health Organization has described 2025 as a year of notable progress for global health, while also acknowledging serious setbacks caused by funding cuts and ongoing humanitarian crises.
Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the approval of the WHO Pandemic Agreement was the most important milestone of the year, describing it as “a strong reminder of what multilateral cooperation can achieve when nations work together instead of pulling apart.”
He noted that the organisation also certified 13 countries as having eliminated specific diseases, released guidance on major health innovations, including Lenacapavir for HIV prevention and GLP-1 treatments for obesity, and responded to 48 emergencies across 79 countries and territories. These responses included crises in Gaza, Sudan and Ukraine.
At the same time, Tedros highlighted major difficulties, warning that reductions in aid funding could undo decades of health gains. He added that early projections indicate global child mortality may increase for the first time in this century, a development he described as deeply concerning.
