Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE)

Enabling quick action to save lives

 

 

About CFE

Public health emergencies are increasing and can escalate rapidly within and beyond borders. The ability to respond quickly can make the difference between mitigating impact and minimizing loss of life or seeing health emergencies spiral out of control, inflicting a heavy humanitarian toll on people’s lives and well-being.

WHO’s Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) was created to save time, resources and lives by enabling WHO to respond rapidly to disease outbreaks and health emergencies, often in 24 hours or less.
 

Highlights

Already under severe strain, Yemen’s health system faces renewed conflict

11 September 2026 | WHO has released US$ 490 000 to scale up emergency response operations.

Contingency Fund for Emergencies – Mid-year update 2026

17 July 2026 | WHO released more than US$ 10 million from the CFE to address the health consequences of 12 emergencies.

PAHO mobilizes emergency health response following earthquakes in Venezuela

25 June 2026 | US$1.5 million released from the CFE for the immediate health response.

 

Contributions in 2026

ContributorAmount US$
Norway5 390 836
Canada2 511 146
Ireland2 341 920
Germany2 325 581
Anonymous contributor1 996 978
France1 700 000*
United Kingdom1 336 898
Rep. of Korea600 000
Kuwait500 000
UN Foundation357 321
Luxembourg174 622
Portugal117 371
Philippines100 000
Estonia17 544
Total (as at 14 October 2026)US$ 19 405 775
* Pledge

Recent allocations

Regional Africa (Guinea, Nigeria)

Diphtheria outbreak | US$ 500 126
13 October 2026

Key activities

Support outbreak response operations; strengthen surveillance, case detection and clinical management; support outbreak response immunization and routine immunization services; and strengthen coordination and technical support to national authorities.

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Djibouti

Refugee influx | US$ 150 000
2 October 2026

Key activities

Strengthening of disease surveillance, alert investigation and outbreak response, including preparedness and case management for acute watery diarrhoea/cholera; provision of diagnostic supplies and cholera kits; treatment and referral of children with severe acute malnutrition and medical complications; provision of SAM medical kits; support to vaccination activities; risk communication and community engagement (RCCE); continuity of essential health services; mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS); and integration of PRSEAH measures.

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Yemen

Conflict escalation response | US$ 490 000
11 September 2026

Key activities

Health sector coordination; ambulance, trauma and emergency referral services; deployment of surgical teams and emergency medical teams (EMTs); support to emergency and surgical care in referral hospitals; provision of emergency medical supplies; disease surveillance, alert investigation and rapid response; provision of outbreak diagnostic, IPC and case-management supplies; coordination of emergency health operations; PRSEAH integration measures.

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Nepal

Flood response | US$ 200 000
2 September 2026

Key activities

Health sector coordination; emergency trauma care, referral, evacuation and ambulance coordination; deployment of emergency medical teams and tetanus prevention measures; provision and distribution of emergency medical supplies; establishment of temporary health facilities; strengthening of disease surveillance, early warning and rapid response systems; risk communication and community engagement (RCCE); routine immunization services; continuity of essential health services; mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS); support for strategic communications, advocacy and response visibility.

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Annual reports

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Contingency fund for emergencies: 2025 annual report

The Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) is WHO’s rapid financing mechanism that enables immediate, life-saving action in the first days of an...

Contingency fund for emergencies: 2024 annual report

The Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) enables the World Health Organization (WHO) to leverage its unique strengths in emergencies, empowering WHO...

Contingency fund for emergencies: 2023 annual report

The Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) provides WHO with rapid and flexible resources to respond to disease outbreaks and other health emergencies....

Contingency fund for emergencies: 2022 annual report

The Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) provides WHO with rapid and flexible resources to respond to disease outbreaks and other health emergencies....

Quarterly updates

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Publication cover

In the first half of 2026, the CFE continued to enable WHO to respond rapidly to health emergencies worldwide. WHO released more than US$ 10 million...

Document cover for the CFE quarterly update July 2025.

In the first and second quarters of 2025, WHO released nearly US$ 19 million from the Contingency Fund for Emergencies (CFE) to provide life-saving...

News

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Contingency fund for emergencies: 2025 annual report

26 May 2026 | In 2025, the CFE enabled WHO to release nearly US$ 30 million for 24 emergencies in 40 countries.

Epidemic of Ebola disease in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda declared global emergency

17 May 2026 | WHO has released US$ 500 000 from the CFE to support the government-led response.

Ethiopia declares end of first-ever Marburg virus disease outbreak

26 January 2026 | Rapid funding from CFE enabled WHO to support government response at the start of the outbreak.

Around 1.3 million people affected by severe flooding in Southern Africa

23 January 2026 | US$ 470 000 released from the CFE to support emergency health response efforts.