More resources spent on whim than necessity?
The World Health Organization (WHO) spends more money on travel costs than on fighting of AIDS, hepatitis, malaria and tuberculosis combined. This is according to a new and exclusive report from AP, which stated that the UN health agency spends around $200 million a year on travel costs; while – last year – it only spent around $71 million on AIDS and hepatitis, $61 million on malaria, and $59 million on tuberculosis. Since 2013, WHO has paid approximately $803 million for travel.
Some health programs do receive more substantial funding – e.g. WHO allocates $450 million to polio every year.
WHO is, nonetheless, asking for more money to fight disease, and UN member countries pay for the agency’s $2 billion annual budget.
According to the same AP report, WHO defended itself by noting that it already reduced travel costs by 14% last year.
