US foreign aid cuts threaten global health risk
Health experts around the world have expressed deep concern and disappointment over the announcement of the closure of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), saying the decision to close the agency, which distributes a huge amount of foreign aid every year, could jeopardize various health programs worldwide.
US President Donald Trump's administration has announced massive layoffs at USAID and an immediate suspension of almost all foreign aid activities. The US government said it would halt all foreign aid funding for 90 days and "review" during that period whether it is consistent with the Trump administration's priorities.
Trump has long criticized foreign spending and called for it to be aligned with his "America First" policy.
The administration has specifically targeted USAID, calling the agency's spending "completely unreasonable" and labeling some projects a "waste of taxpayer money."
Fears of an increase in infectious diseases
Meanwhile, according to international media reports, health experts have warned that the decision could delay the spread of infectious diseases, vaccines and research into new treatments.
"The impact of USAID's closure will be so profound that it is impossible to underestimate it," said Dr. Tom Wingfield, a TB and social medicine expert at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine in the UK. Many people do not understand the extent of USAID's assistance.
This is spent on critical areas such as malnutrition, hygiene, sanitation and ensuring clean water, which have a huge impact on diseases such as TB and diarrhoea.
He added, “Diseases know no borders – especially as climate change and mass migration increase. Infectious diseases will spread even faster.”
Every year, 10 million people are infected with TB and 1.3 million die.
But 40 percent of patients do not receive any treatment. As a result, they are at risk of spreading the disease. Dr. Wingfield said, "If a research project or clinic is closed, the risk of infection will increase. If this support is stopped, people will die directly."
HIV treatment may suffer a setback
It will not only have a negative impact on TB, but also on clinics that serve HIV patients.
Many NGOs work with USAID, which provides vital antiretroviral drugs that help reduce the amount of HIV in the blood and prevent transmission.
Dr. Wingfield said, “If treatment is interrupted, it can be a devastating situation. If a patient on treatment cannot take their medication, the amount of virus in their blood will increase and the risk of infection will increase.”
‘Catastrophic impact’
Frontline AIDS, a UK and South Africa-based organisation, said more than 20 of its 60 partner organisations had been affected by the suspension of USAID support. “The suspension of funding has forced many partner organisations to close down, lay off staff. It has been devastating for the communities and organisations affected.”
He said a Ugandan organisation would be forced to stop providing USAID-funded HIV tests, TB drugs and condoms because their stocks will run out in the next month.
Many HIV clinics in South Africa have already closed. These clinics provided emergency care and contraception to women and girls who had been raped.
‘Terrible lack of trust’
“The biggest loss of this funding is the lack of trust,” said Professor Peter Taylor, director of international development research at the University of Sussex.
“When you suddenly close something, you lose trust. People become confused and angry. This lack of trust will have a profound impact on many other areas and it is also damaging to the global image of the United States,” he said.
Future of critical drug research uncertain
USAID also funds global clinical drug trials, which could now be under threat. “The suspension of this funding could delay or cancel numerous drug research and clinical trials. This would be particularly devastating for diseases such as malaria and HIV, as a significant proportion of these studies are funded by USAID,” said Professor Thomas Zaki, a researcher at the MRC Biostatistics Unit at the University of Cambridge.
Risk of future pandemics
Roza Friedman, a professor of international law and global development, said that USAID provides about 40 percent of total development assistance worldwide, which is spent on health, education and economic development.
“If this assistance is suspended for a long time, there could be a shortage of vaccines,” she said. As a result, diseases that were previously under control, such as cholera and malaria, could re-emerge as epidemics.
He added, "These diseases could spread rapidly and widely due to global interdependence and globalization."
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