Global health progress remains real but insufficient, with uneven delivery across countries, programmes and WHO’s Triple Billion targets. WHO’s Results Report for the Programme Budget 2024–2025 marks the final assessment under the Thirteenth General Programme of Work and links performance more directly to measurable indicators, financing conditions and country capacity. The results show the strongest gains in healthier populations, mixed progress in universal health coverage and health emergencies, and continued shortfalls against all Triple Billion targets. At the current pace, the health-related Sustainable Development Goals will not be met by 2030. Financing constraints reduced delivery capacity, limited technical support, slowed programme implementation and weakened key systems, including surveillance and emergency response, especially in high-risk settings.
Universal Health Coverage Gains Remain Uneven
Universal health coverage remained below the one billion target, although 567 million more people gained access to essential health services without catastrophic health spending. Progress was linked to gains in communicable diseases, particularly HIV and tuberculosis, as well as improved sanitation and an expanding health workforce. Persistent gaps remained in diabetes management and financial hardship for people seeking health services.
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Output indicators showed a mixed trajectory. Half of the indicators met targets in 2024–2025, while 31% sat slightly below target and 19% remained further below target. Several indicators that missed their thresholds still improved over the Thirteenth General Programme of Work, indicating progress despite incomplete delivery.
WHO’s contribution was strongest in normative guidance, technical tools and policy support, including primary health care, financial protection, antimicrobial resistance and essential medicines. Constraints remained largely financial and systemic. Weak health information systems, limited human resources and high staff turnover reduced delivery, particularly in small island states and fragile or conflict-affected settings. Declining official development assistance, tighter fiscal conditions and rising inflation added further pressure.
Emergency Protection Improved but Fell Short
An estimated 698 million more people were better protected from health emergencies, but the target remained unmet. Advances came through pandemic preparedness, early warning and detection, response capacity and prevention of outbreaks and other health threats. Output indicators showed a mixed but improving picture, with 54% meeting targets and a further 12% slightly below target.
Performance was strongest in preparedness, where structured tools and coordination mechanisms were more established. Challenges were concentrated in detection, emergency response, polio eradication and transition, which required complex operational delivery, strong country capacity and sustained financing. Financial setbacks in 2025 constrained emergency operations, humanitarian coordination, surveillance networks and monitoring under the International Health Regulations. At country level, surveillance, laboratory support, preparedness training and field deployments were scaled back, while resources focused on the most acute emergencies.
WHO still supported large-scale humanitarian and outbreak responses. Emergency medical teams supported by WHO delivered more than 4.3 million consultations. Health Cluster partners reached 113 million people in 24 crisis settings. The WHO Contingency Fund for Emergencies released US$82 million to support 45 emergencies in 51 countries and three global outbreak responses. In 2025, reported wild polio cases fell by 56%, with similar declines in circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus cases.
Healthier Populations Exceeded the Target
The healthiest trajectory came under the goal of one billion more people living with better health and well-being. An estimated 1.75 billion more people are living healthier lives, exceeding the target by 750 million. Progress was largely driven by improvements in environmental factors and determinants of health, including increased access to clean household energy, water, sanitation and hygiene services, reductions in air pollution, reduced tobacco use and lower alcohol consumption. Rising obesity among adults and children partially offset these gains.
Output indicators showed stronger performance than the other strategic priorities. In 2024–2025, 82% of indicators met targets and 6% were slightly below target. All indicators that did not fully meet their targets still showed a positive trajectory across the Thirteenth General Programme of Work.
WHO’s structured guidance, technical standards and tools supported progress in social determinants of health, risk factors and healthy settings. Remaining challenges came from country-level capacity constraints, industry influence, limited financing and weak policy enforcement. Multisectoral action advanced through One Health engagement, air pollution work, noncommunicable disease and mental health policy processes, nutrition initiatives and food safety standards. Environmental health action included an updated Global Road Map on Air Pollution and Health, with a commitment to halve the health impacts of air pollution by 2040.
WHO’s end-of-biennium performance shows a clear contrast between measurable progress and persistent delivery gaps. Healthier populations exceeded the one billion target, while universal health coverage and emergency protection remained below target despite substantial gains. Across all areas, progress was strongest when delivery pathways were structured and aligned with WHO’s strengths in convening, normative guidance, data systems and targeted technical support. Financing constraints and uneven country capacity limited impact, reinforcing the importance of sustainable and flexible funding for future programme delivery.
Source: World Health Organization
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