Geneva: Despite significant funding cuts, the World Health Organisation (WHO) was able to support major national health improvements for hundreds of millions of people in 2025, as highlighted in its annual Results Report released on Thursday.

According to Emirates News Agency, the report demonstrates that with support from WHO and its partners, countries delivered tangible benefits to millions. WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus emphasized the importance of these achievements and cautioned against taking them for granted.

The report, issued in anticipation of the upcoming World Health Assembly, outlines progress in three key areas: enhancing access to essential health services, bolstering protection from health emergencies, and boosting overall wellbeing. However, it also notes that about half of its output targets were not met due to financial constraints and internal restructuring, leaving the world off track to achieve the health-related Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.

Despite falling short of its ambitious 'Triple Billion' goals-aimed at benefiting an additional billion people in each of the three areas by the end of 2025 compared with 2018-significant progress was made. An estimated 567 million more people had access to essential health services in 2025, marking an increase of 136 million from 2024. Additionally, approximately 698 million people were better protected from health emergencies, an increase of 61 million over the previous year. Furthermore, 1.75 billion people were living healthier lives, a rise of 300 million since 2024.

The advancement toward universal health coverage was largely driven by enhanced services for communicable diseases such as HIV and tuberculosis, improved sanitation, and a growing health workforce. Nonetheless, challenges remain in areas like diabetes management, measles surveillance, and financial protection.