Private Sector Engagement in Global Health: WHO and WHO-Foundation

The World Health Organisation Foundation (WHO-F) is an independent Swiss charitable Foundation established in May 2020 to pursue funding for WHO from the private sector and high net worth individuals. Created at the height of the pandemic, WHO-F is part of a long awaited attempt at reforming funding of WHO and of global health more broadly. With WHO having suffered funding crises almost since its inception, innovative action is needed. This paper examines the role of WHO-F and its relationship with WHO. In situating this within a broader discussion of the problematic identity of international organisations, the paper argues that this financial crisis is inevitable and that diversification of financial sources is necessary. However, the complexity of WHO-F as separate to, but fundamentally entangled with, WHO precipitates difficulties of accountability of action.