The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has informed numerous health organizations across the globe, including those providing critical HIV/AIDS and maternal care services, that their contracts will be terminated. The move comes as part of an ongoing review under President Donald Trump’s “America First” foreign policy, marking a significant shift in the U.S.’s international aid strategy.
In January, President Trump ordered a 90-day halt on all foreign aid, pending a thorough assessment to determine whether ongoing projects aligned with U.S. interests. The subsequent policy decision resulted in the termination of over 90% of U.S.-funded health programs worldwide, including many that had previously received waivers for life-saving aid.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has defended the decision, stating that waivers would continue to cover essential humanitarian efforts. However, documents reviewed by Reuters indicate that even critical health initiatives, such as HIV treatment programs in South Africa and malaria and maternal health projects globally, have been severely impacted.
UNAIDS, the United Nations’ HIV/AIDS agency, saw its contract with USAID canceled, as did Khana, an organization in Cambodia working on HIV and tuberculosis prevention. These cuts have devastated key programs aimed at combatting HIV/AIDS, particularly in regions with high prevalence rates such as sub-Saharan Africa.
Francois Venter, executive director of the Ezintsha Research Centre in Johannesburg, which is not funded by USAID, expressed deep concern over the cuts, calling them “a devastating blow” to South Africa’s HIV response. The country, which has the highest number of people living with HIV in the world, was particularly impacted, with many of the programs terminated providing essential services to vulnerable groups such as LGBT+ individuals and sex workers.
International AIDS Society President Beatriz Grinsztejn condemned the cuts, warning that they were dismantling vital healthcare systems. “HIV treatment is crumbling. TB services are collapsing… Lives are on the line,” she said.
Despite these widespread disruptions, the exact number of organizations affected and the criteria used for the terminations remain unclear. There has been no immediate comment from the U.S. State Department on the issue.
As international health experts scramble to assess the long-term consequences of these cuts, the future of life-saving care in some of the world’s most vulnerable regions remains uncertain.
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