Global health experts are deeply concerned after President Donald Trump implemented cuts to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
What is USAID?
USAID, which employs approximately 10,000 staff, is the world’s largest single donor of humanitarian aid, having spent over $40 million globally in the fiscal year 2023.The organization’s budget is determined by Congress and primarily focuses on providing aid abroad and supporting international charities. Funding is allocated to initiatives such as women’s health in conflict zones, access to clean water, and HIV/AIDS treatment.While the Trump administration has criticized the agency’s spending and announced significant cuts to its workforce, many health experts have voiced concerns over the potential dismantling of USAID.The Trump administration announced reductions in the agency’s workforce, along with plans to freeze several of its aid programs worldwide.
Trump’s administration has announced cuts to USAID
Criticism of the Trump Administration’s Cuts
Dr. Tom Wingfield, a tuberculosis expert, highlighted some of the consequences of Trump’s decision.“People don’t appreciate the extent and reach of USAID. It funds programs for undernutrition, hygiene, sanitation, and access to clean water—all of which have a massive impact on TB and diarrheal diseases,” he told the BBC. *”Diseases don’t respect borders, especially in an era of climate change and mass migration. Infectious diseases will spread.“Whether it’s a research project or a clinic that is affected, we risk further transmission. People will die directly due to cuts in U.S. funding.”Meanwhile, in South Africa, reports indicate that some HIV services have been discontinued, a situation Professor Peter Taylor described as “undermining people’s trust.”“Stopping programs suddenly erodes trust. People are bewildered and angry,” he said. “The real cost is the loss of basic trust, which is being magnified in many situations around the world. This is incredibly damaging to the U.S. global reputation.”Professor Rosa Freedman of the University of Reading warned that health programs could suffer significantly, potentially leading to global challenges in controlling the spread of disease.
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Experts have warned against the move
“This will partly be due to the prevention of further vaccines being distributed or funded by USAID,” she said. “This could mean that preventable diseases we believed had been contained or even eradicated, such as cholera and malaria, could reappear or worsen.“Given the globalized and interdependent nature of our planet, the concern is that these diseases could spread quickly and widely.”On Friday (February 7), a judge temporarily blocked Trump from placing over 2,000 USAID workers on paid leave.The order—which also reinstates 500 workers who had already been placed on leave—will remain in effect until February 14.“All USAID employees currently on administrative leave shall be reinstated until that date and shall be given full access to email, payroll, and security notification systems until then. Additionally, no further employees shall be placed on administrative leave before that date,” Judge Carl Nichols wrote.
