Significant increase in deaths globally attributed to reduction in U.S. foreign aid funding
In a sobering report published in *The Lancet*, a team of scientists from Barcelona and Salvador da Bahia, Brazil, has warned that proposed cuts to the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) could result in over 14 million additional preventable deaths worldwide over the next five years.
The study, which analysed mortality data from over 130 countries and regions between 2001 and 2021, found that USAID-supported programs have been instrumental in reducing global mortality rates. The research reveals that USAID interventions have been linked to a 15% decrease in all-cause mortality worldwide and a 32% reduction in mortality among children under five.
The study further projects that cuts to U.S. foreign aid through USAID could lead to more than 14 million additional preventable deaths by 2030, including over 4.5 million deaths among children under five. The diseases most impacted by USAID's funding include HIV/AIDS (65% mortality reduction), malaria (51%), neglected tropical diseases (50%), diarrheal diseases (46%), lower respiratory infections (31%), and tuberculosis (29%).
The proposed cuts, if implemented, could have severe consequences for many countries, particularly low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The impact of the proposed cuts on LMICs could be comparable to a global pandemic or major armed conflict. In fact, the study estimates that if USAID's budget is significantly reduced or dismantled, it could have a catastrophic impact on global mortality rates, potentially causing millions of avoidable deaths.
The proposed cuts were initially intended to dismantle the agency, with US President Donald Trump proposing to cut over 80% of USAID's budget in 2017. However, the team warns against reversing the cuts initiated by the US government, emphasising the importance of maintaining or increasing USAID funding to sustain gains towards achieving global health and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In total, USAID-funded programs have prevented nearly 92 million deaths since 2001. Over 30 million of these deaths were among children under five, underscoring the vital role that USAID plays in ensuring the health and well-being of the world's most vulnerable populations.
In conclusion, the study underscores the potential catastrophic impact that proposed cuts to USAID's budget could have on global health and development. Maintaining or increasing USAID funding is crucial to sustaining gains towards achieving global health and SDGs, and to preventing millions of avoidable deaths worldwide.
- The study emphasizes the importance of maintaining or increasing the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funding, as the proposed cuts could lead to over 14 million additional preventable deaths by 2030, according to the common policy presented in the report.
- The proposed cuts to USAID's budget, if implemented, could result in a catastrophic impact on global mortality rates, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), similar to the impact of a global pandemic or major armed conflict, as revealed by the research.
- The research also highlights the significant role of USAID in financing programs that have led to a 15% decrease in all-cause mortality worldwide and a 32% reduction in mortality among children under five, underlining the importance of the agency in business, policy-and-legislation, and general news related to global health and development.
