In a sweeping move that has alarmed global health experts, the Trump administration has formally notified Congress of its intent to eliminate thousands of foreign aid programs—many critical to international public health. According to The New York Times, these cuts include funding for malaria prevention and childhood vaccination efforts in developing nations.
The decision, detailed in a letter to lawmakers, marks a major step in President Donald Trump’s longstanding campaign to scale back, or potentially dismantle, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). While legal challenges have thus far prevented the administration from dissolving the agency entirely, officials appear determined to shrink its scope dramatically.
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“In all, the administration has decided to continue 898 U.S.A.I.D. awards and to end 5,341, the letter says,” the report stated. “It says the remaining programs are worth up to $78 billion. But only $8.3 billion of that is unobligated funds — money still available to disburse. Because that amount covers awards that run several years into the future, the figure suggests a massive reduction in the $40 billion that U.S.A.I.D. used to spend annually.”
Among the programs being eliminated is funding for the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, which monitors zoonotic diseases like bird flu in 49 countries. Significant cuts are also targeting malaria prevention—one of the deadliest threats to children in low-income regions.
However, the decision drawing the most backlash is the termination of grants to Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, which secures immunizations for children across the developing world.
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“By Gavi’s own estimate, the loss of U.S. support may mean 75 million children do not receive routine vaccinations in the next five years, with more than 1.2 million children dying as a result,” The New York Times reported. Health officials warn that these cuts could severely undermine efforts to contain preventable disease outbreaks, not only in affected countries but globally.
Sierra Leone Health Minister Dr. Austin Demby told The Times, “This is not just a bureaucratic decision, there are children’s lives at stake, global health security will be at stake. Supporting Gavi in Sierra Leone is not just a Sierra Leone issue, it’s something the region, the world, benefits from.” As the legal battle over USAID’s future continues, the impact of these deep cuts may be felt far beyond U.S. borders.
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