Donald Trump's foreign aid freeze has sparked global outrage among health experts, who warn it disrupts vital disease prevention and halts lifesaving medical supplies. The move reportedly caused an American fatality from bird flu and threatens essential programs that shield millions worldwide.
An expert issued a warning to Donald Trump on Saturday, stating that the President is inflicting significant harm to both the United States and the rest of the world.
Over the course of the weekend, Atul Gawande, a former official of the United States Agency for International Development and a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, turned to social media in order to raise the alarm. The surgeon and medical professor has already conducted research on the profitability of hospitals.
The past three years, I have been in charge of USAID's health projects. As Gawande put it, "The 90-day Stop Work Order on Foreign Assistance that Trump issued does severe damage to both the world and the United States."
According to Gawande, there are several examples of where the stop work order has halted efforts. For instance, there has been a deadly Marburg outbreak in Tanzania and a widespread outbreak of an mpox variant that is killing children in west Africa. The order has also halted monitoring of bird flu in 49 countries, which has already claimed an American life. Additionally, it has halted critical work to eradicate polio and more than $1 billion in corporate drug donations and coordination aimed at eradicating tropical diseases such as river blindness and elephantiasis, which are on the brink of extinction in whole regions.
He went on to say that over 90 million women and children will no longer be able to afford vaccines, prenatal care, safe childbirth, contraception, and other essential lifesaving health services because of the plan's prohibition on these things.
He also stated that it would stop providing direct services to 6.5 million orphans, vulnerable children, and their caregivers who are affected by HIV in 23 countries. Additionally, it would stop donating drug supplies that are keeping 20 million people living with HIV alive. Furthermore, it would furlough all contract staff of USAID, which includes half of its global health bureau, unless they were exempt from the furlough requirements.
The expert went on to say that the current administration is destroying the United States' standing, partnerships with dozens of countries that have been built up over the course of half a century, world-leading capacity and experience, and American security.