World Health Organisation (WHO) Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus has issued a stark warning that global health security is being undermined by a dangerous imbalance in international spending, with nations prioritising military expansion over essential public health investment.
Speaking to the media following a high-level mission to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to assess the ongoing Ebola outbreak, Tedros called for a fundamental shift in global priorities. He highlighted that while worldwide military expenditure reached a record $2.7 trillion in 2024, funding for global health initiatives continues to decline, leaving the world perilously exposed to “invisible enemies.”
“Globally, there is more spending in defence and less in public health, which makes us vulnerable,” Tedros stated. “Countries spend vast sums protecting themselves against attacks from other nations, but relatively little on protecting themselves from an invisible enemy that can cause far more havoc and damage. Why can’t we come to our senses? Peace is the best medicine.”
He flagged the financial disparity by noting that the organisation’s annual requirement of roughly $2.1 billion, needed to maintain operations across 150 countries, is equivalent to the cost of global military expenditure every eight hours. He described the current funding levels for global health as “extremely modest” rather than ambitious, urging leaders to recognise that health is an investment in stability and economic growth rather than a cost to be contained.
Tedros recently returned from Bunia, DRC, where he oversaw the response to an outbreak of the Bundibugyo virus. While he praised the commitment of local health workers and the progress made in containing the virus, he warned that such regional crises require sustained international collaboration. He cautioned that until the world addresses the root causes of disease and corrects the “switched price tags” on global security, humanity will remain unprepared for the next major health threat.
–ChannelAfrica–
