WHO, evangelical groups urge Trump to restore USAID for global health programs

Tuesday

Kalé Carey Reporter

By Kalé Carey (Reporter), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)

The World Health Organization warns that U.S. funding cuts could lead to the loss of essential health services, including HIV, AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis treatments. WHO’s director highlights the potential for millions of new cases and thousands of deaths if funding disruptions continue.
Evangelical groups in the U.S. are urging President Trump to maintain foreign aid programs, particularly those supporting PEPFAR.
The U.S. typically funds about one-fifth of WHO’s annual budget.

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The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that countries worldwide could lose access to life-saving vaccines, treatments and medications as U.S. funding cuts linger. WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that halting financial support from U.S. agencies like USAID and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention could have devastating consequences on global health.

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Tedros also pointed out the potential for widespread disruption in essential health services. He particularly noted countries that heavily rely on U.S. aid for HIV, AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis care. The cuts, he said, could lead to millions of new cases and thousands of preventable deaths.

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Potential impacts of lost funding

According to Tedros, if U.S. funding disruptions continue, an additional 15 million malaria cases and 107,000 deaths could occur this year alone. WHO’s director also highlighted that more than 50 countries could experience an immediate stop to services for HIV testing, treatment and prevention. Eight nations, in particular, are expected to run out of life-saving antiretroviral medications in the coming months.

These figures have prompted Christian evangelical groups in the U.S. to rally against funding cuts. They urged President Donald Trump to reconsider the impact of halting international aid programs that support the fight against HIV and AIDS. These groups, alongside WHO, warn decades of progress in combating these diseases could be undone, leading to a resurgence of the AIDS epidemic.

PEPFAR’s role in global health

PEPFAR, or the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, remains safe from budget cuts. However, evangelical groups caution it still relies heavily on USAID’s data to carry out its work. Launched 20 years ago, the program has saved over 25 million lives. About 20 million people currently depend on PEPFAR’s medicines, with countries like Nigeria relying almost entirely on U.S. support for HIV funding.

Tedros stressed that the U.S. has a responsibility to ensure any withdrawal of funding is done in a humane and orderly manner. He says it should allow countries to find alternative sources of financial support.

In addition to the funding cuts, Trump has expressed plans to withdraw from WHO. It’s a move that could disrupt the global health organization’s work. The U.S. typically contributes about one-fifth of WHO’s annual budget.

Tags: Donald Trump, HIV, Malaria, USAID, Vaccinations, World Health Organization

[Kalé Carey]

THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION SAYS COUNTRIES COULD SOON LOSE ACCESS TO LIFE-SAVING VACCINES, TREATMENTS AND MEDICATIONS, WITH THE DIRECTOR WARNING THAT PULLING U.S. FUNDING COULD LEAVE PEOPLE WITH HIV, AIDS, MALARIA, OR TUBERCULOSIS WITHOUT ESSENTIAL CARE.

ON MONDAY THE GLOBAL HEALTH AGENCY CALLED ON PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP TO CONSIDER THE IMPACT OF ENDING FUNDING FOR INTERNATIONAL AID PROGRAMS THROUGH THE U-S AGENCY FOR INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, ALSO KNOWN AS U-S A-I-D.

(“If disruptions continue we could see an additional 15 million cases of Malaria and 107,000 deaths this year alone.”)

(“Caused an immediate stop to services for HIV testing, treatment and prevention in more than 50 countries. 8 countries now have substantial disruptions to anti-retroviral therapy and will run out of medicines in the coming months.”)

THESE STATISTICS HAVE LED U.S. CHRISTIAN EVANGELICAL GROUPS TO ALSO SOUND THE ALARM, URGING TRUMP TO MAINTAIN FOREIGN AID PROGRAMS SUPPORTING THE FIGHT AGAINST HIV AND AIDS.

WITHIN DAYS OF TAKING OFFICE, PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP PUT A PAUSE ON SENDING U.S. MONEY OVERSEAS, INCLUDING MOST PROGRAMS UNDER USAID’S UMBRELLA.

ALTHOUGH THE PRESIDENT’S EMERGENCY PLAN FOR AIDS RELIEF OR PEPFAR, A 20-YEAR-OLD PROGRAM, IS SAFE FROM BUDGET CUTS, EVANGELICAL GROUPS SAY IT STILL RELIES ON US-AID FOR DATA RELEVANT TO ITS WORK.

SINCE ITS START, THE PROGRAM HAS PREVENTED OVER 25 MILLION DEATHS ACCORDING TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT.

BOTH WHO AND THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF EVANGELICALS WARN THAT DECADES OF PROGRESS COULD BE STOPPED AND REVERSED, LEADING TO A RESURGENCE OF AIDS.

ABOUT 20 MILLION PEOPLE DEPEND ON MEDICINES FROM PEPFAR. IN COUNTRIES LIKE NIGERIA, PEPFAR IS THE MAIN SOURCE OF HIV FUNDING.

IN OTHER COUNTRIES, PEPFAR STILL DELIVERS VITAL HEALTH SERVICES, WITH CLINICS TO TREAT OTHER CONDITIONS AS PART OF THE FIGHT AGAINST AIDS.

(“The US also has a responsibility to ensure that if it withdraws direct funding for countries, it’s done in an orderly and humane way that allows them to find alternative sources of funding.”)

TRUMP IS PLANNING TO LEAVE WHO. THE U-S USUALLY HELPS FUND A FIFTH OF ITS ANNUAL BUDGET.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M KALÉ CAREY