Public Health and Humanitarian Crises: A World on the Brink
In 2026, public health emergencies and humanitarian crises have become more frequent, more deadly, and more deeply intertwined than at any point in recent memory. The warning signs are stark: infectious disease outbreaks are spreading faster than ever, global hunger has doubled over the past decade, and humanitarian funding is shrinking at precisely the moment when needs are greatest.
The message from global health leaders is clear: the world is "moving backwards" in its ability to respond to crises, with devastating consequences for millions of people.
The Resurgence of Deadly Disease Outbreaks
Ebola in the DRC: The Fastest-Growing Outbreak on Record
Two months after the Democratic Republic of Congo declared its 17th Ebola outbreak on May 15, the virus has spread faster than during any previous outbreak. More than 2,000 confirmed cases and 796 deaths have been recorded, making it "now the third-largest Ebola outbreak on record".
By comparison, the massive Ebola outbreak in DRC from 2018-2020 took more than ten months to reach 2,000 confirmed cases. This outbreak reached the same milestone in less than two months—a terrifying acceleration of the virus's spread.
The current outbreak is caused by the rare Bundibugyo species of Ebola, for which there is no approved vaccine or treatment. Compounding the challenge, more than 80% of new cases are being detected outside known contact lists, showing that transmission chains are still being missed. About two-thirds of deaths are occurring in communities among people who never received care in a health facility.
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has warned that the response remains critically under-resourced. "Every delay costs lives. We are still chasing the outbreak instead of staying ahead of it," said Trish Newport, MSF emergency programme manager. The situation is made worse by active armed conflict in Ituri province, where approximately 90% of cases are concentrated. A treatment centre was attacked in the provincial capital of Bunia on July 15.
The outbreak has already spread to five DRC provinces and neighboring Uganda. The World Health Organization reports a funding shortfall of more than $400 million for the joint response plan with the African Centres for Disease Control.
Health Emergencies Are Becoming More Frequent
This is not an isolated incident. A major report from the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board (GPMB) warns that the world is experiencing more frequent and deadlier health emergencies. The World Health Organization detected nearly twice as many health emergency events in 2024 as in 2015.
From 2014 to 2025, the WHO declared six Public Health Emergencies of International Concern (PHEICs), including the West Africa Ebola epidemic, the Zika virus outbreak, the DRC Ebola outbreak, the COVID-19 pandemic, and two mpox outbreaks. In 2026, WHO has now declared the central Africa Ebola outbreak a PHEIC.
The report also highlighted stark inequities in the global response: "Mpox vaccines reached affected low-income countries almost two years after the outbreak began—even slower than the 17 months it took for COVID-19 vaccines".
The Global Food Crisis: Hunger Doubles in a Decade
The Global Report on Food Crises (GRFC) 2026 paints a devastating picture of global hunger. 266 million people in 47 countries experienced high levels of acute food insecurity in 2025—representing 23% of the analyzed population and nearly double the share recorded in 2016.
The number of people facing catastrophic hunger (IPC Phase 5) is nine times higher than it was in 2016. In 2025, two famines were declared for the first time in the report's history—in Gaza Governorate and parts of Sudan.
Acute malnutrition has reached critical levels. In 2025 alone, 35.5 million children were acutely malnourished, including nearly 10 million suffering from severe acute malnutrition.
Conflict remains the primary driver, accounting for more than 80% of food crises. As UN Secretary-General António Guterres noted in the report's foreword: "Conflict remains the primary driver of acute food insecurity and malnutrition for millions around the world, with outright famine emerging in two conflict-affected areas in the same year—an unprecedented development".
Eastern Africa: 48.5 Million in Need
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reports that Eastern Africa remains a major humanitarian hotspot, with an estimated 48.5 million people in need of assistance in 2026. Regional food insecurity escalated in the second quarter, leaving 40.5 million people facing severe hunger, up 1.6 million from the first quarter of 2025.
Spillover effects from the Middle East conflict are driving up fuel, transport, and food costs while disrupting supply chains and straining fragile economies. Climate shocks displaced nearly 13,000 people in Burundi, while the regional refugee population rose from 5.9 million to 6 million.
Regional public health risks remain severe, with second-quarter cholera cases more than doubling to 12,400, while 457 mpox cases were reported in displacement-affected areas.
The Global Food Security Outlook
The World Bank confirms that food insecurity is increasing despite broadly stable supplies of major staples. Conflict and climate shocks continue to be the primary drivers, with up to 67 million people in need of food assistance in East and Southern Africa.
The Middle East conflict has increased risks to global food security. Disruptions to oil, gas, and fertilizer flows through the Strait of Hormuz drove a 46% month-on-month rise in urea prices, raising the risk of an affordability crisis. The World Bank projects that fertilizer prices will rise by 31% on average in 2026, reaching their least affordable levels since 2022.
A 61% to 87% probability of El Niño emerging by mid-2026 could make the situation worse, threatening crop production in South Asia, Southern Africa, and parts of East Asia, with rice output potentially falling by 20% to 50%.
FAO emphasizes that the primary solution is to strengthen trade connectivity. Countries that diversify their supplies across multiple partners can more effectively mitigate the impacts of natural disasters and market volatility.
Humanitarian Funding in Crisis
A $34 Billion Appeal, But Only a Third Funded
The 2026 Global Humanitarian Overview reveals the scale of the challenge: humanitarian partners are appealing for **$33.84 billion** to assist **252.1 million people** in crisis across 55 countries. Yet funding stands at just $11.12 billion—only 32.9% funded.
WHO launched its 2026 global appeal seeking nearly $1 billion to respond to 36 emergencies worldwide, including 14 Grade 3 emergencies requiring the highest level of organizational response. In 2025, WHO and partners supported 30 million people through its annual emergency appeal, delivering life-saving vaccinations to 5.3 million children and enabling 53 million health consultations.
But the funding outlook is worsening. The OECD projects that official development assistance will fall 9-17% in 2025, after a 9% drop in 2024. WHO warns that external health aid could be 30-40% lower in 2025 than in 2023. WHO survey data from 108 low- and middle-income countries indicates that funding cuts have already reduced critical health services by up to 70% in some countries.
What Happens When Aid Comes Under Attack
The mid-year review of the Global Humanitarian Overview highlights what happens when aid comes under attack. Violence, climate shocks, and health emergencies are the main drivers of humanitarian needs, and the escalation of the Middle East conflict has triggered the most significant global humanitarian supply-chain disruptions since COVID-19, driving up costs and delaying life-saving assistance far beyond the region.
Natural Disasters: Venezuela's Tragedy
The twin earthquakes that struck Venezuela on June 24, 2026, measuring magnitudes 7.2 and 7.5, stand as the most powerful earthquakes to hit the country in over a century.
The death toll has climbed to 1,430, with 172 people still trapped, 3,238 injured, and 3,100 left homeless. The UN estimates that up to 6.76 million people could be affected. The quakes caused an estimated $6.7 billion in damage, while the US Geological Survey predicts the death toll will likely rise into the thousands.
International rescue teams arrived from across the globe, but residents have criticized the official response, citing a scarcity of government help as thousands remain missing. The disaster strikes as Venezuela faces significant economic hardship, with the UN reporting that nearly 8 million of the country's 28 million people were already in need of assistance.
A World in Crisis
The convergence of more frequent and deadly disease outbreaks, the doubling of global hunger in a decade, shrinking humanitarian funding, and devastating natural disasters paints a sobering picture. As the GPMB report concluded, "Trust is eroding: between governments and citizens; between countries; in multilateral organisations; in industry".
Global health leaders are calling for urgent action. WHO Director-General Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus described the 2026 appeal as "a call to stand with people living through conflict, displacement and disaster – to give them not just services, but the confidence that the world has not turned its back on them".
The question is whether the international community will respond in time—or allow the crises to deepen further.
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