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Time of India
02-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Lancet study projects US foreign aid cuts could result in over 1.4 crore preventable deaths globally
Steep funding cuts to the United States Agency for International Development ( USAID ) could result in over 1.4 crore preventable deaths by 2030, a third of which could be among children aged under five, according to a study published in The Lancet journal. The study said the fund cuts could reverse decades of progress and that for many low and middle-income countries, the resulting shock would be comparable in scale to a "global pandemic" or a "major armed conflict". In March, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump's administration has cancelled 83 per cent of all programmes at USAID, the world's largest funding agency for humanitarian and development aid. The cuts "risk abruptly halting -- and even reversing -- two decades of progress in health among vulnerable populations," study coordinator Davide Rasella, research professor at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) in Spain, said. "For many low- and middle-income countries, the resulting shock would be comparable in scale to a global pandemic or a major armed conflict," Rasella said. The researchers also estimated that between 2001 and 2021, more than nine crore deaths in low and middle-income countries were prevented because of USAID-supported programmes. About a third of these were among children. "Our analysis shows that USAID funding has been an essential force in saving lives and improving health outcomes in some of the world's most vulnerable regions over the past two decades," first author Daniella Cavalcanti, a postdoctoral researcher at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil, said. For the analysis, the researchers used models to forecast impacts due to two scenarios -- continuing funding at the 2023-level, or implementing the sharp reduction of 83 per cent announced in March 2025. "Current steep funding cuts could result in more than 1,40,51,750 additional all-age deaths, including 45,37,157 in children younger than age five years, by 2030," the authors wrote. The study also found that USAID-supported programmes were associated with a 15 per cent reduced all-cause mortality and a 32 per cent reduced death rates among children under five. Further, in countries receiving high levels of USAID support, the strongest impact was found in priority disease areas -- deaths from HIV/AIDS fell by 74 per cent, malaria by 53 per cent, and neglected tropical diseases by 51 per cent, compared to countries receiving low or no support. The research is the first comprehensive analysis to assess the impact of total USAID funding, including support for health care, nutrition, humanitarian aid, development, education, and related sectors, on mortality rates in low and middle-income countries over the past two decades, the study said.
The Hill
01-07-2025
- Health
- The Hill
USAID cuts could result in 14M additional deaths: Research
A study published Monday found that the closure of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) could result in more than 14 million additional deaths globally by 2030, including 4.5 million deaths of children younger than 5 years. The findings were released hours before Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the agency would officially shut down following President Trump's executive order earlier this year aiming to dismantle the agency. Many of the deaths are expected to occur in the African countries of Nigeria and Uganda due to the loss of funding for maternal and child health aid, in addition to epidemic and emerging disease surveillance. Researchers found that those two countries would contribute to 107,000 additional deaths globally in just one year of a disrupted malaria-control supply chain. The end of USAID pulls funding from non-governmental organizations including the UN World Food Programme, which closed its southern Africa office, placing 27 million people at risk of hunger amid the country's worst drought in decades, the study says. Former Presidents Obama and Bush have been critical of the Trump administration for the USAID closure, which also threatens to scale back America's role in the global fight against HIV and AIDS. 'Gutting USAID is a travesty, and it's a tragedy. Because it's some of the most important work happening anywhere in the world,' Obama said, according to The Associated Press. Rubio on Tuesday defended the shuttering of USAID, arguing the agency's objectives were often left unmet. 'Development objectives have rarely been met, instability has often worsened, and anti-American sentiment has only grown,' Rubio wrote in a blog post on Tuesday. 'This era of government-sanctioned inefficiency has officially come to an end.' The Monday study found that USAID-supported efforts have helped to prevent more than 91 million deaths across all age groups, including 30 million deaths among children. It said high levels of USAID funding were associated with a 15 percent reduction in mortality across all ages, a 65 percent reduction in mortality from HIV/AIDS, a 51 percent reduction from malaria, and a 50 percent reduction from neglected tropical diseases. In 2022, USAID was responsible for more than half of nutrition interventions, food distribution and agricultural interventions globally. 'Therefore, the impact of USAID on health and mortality reduction extends beyond its direct funding of health programmes and interventions,' the study's authors wrote. 'In particular, USAID's support for poverty alleviation, education, and water and sanitation interventions—among many others—might have had a substantial effect on health outcomes, also considering the broader spillover effects these interventions can have on entire communities,' it added. 'Indeed, poverty alleviation interventions alone have demonstrated important effects on reducing both adult and child mortality.' The research was funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, UK Medical Research Council and EU Horizon Europe.
Time of India
01-07-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Lancet study projects US foreign aid cuts could result in over 1.4 crore preventable deaths globally
A Lancet study reveals that drastic USAID funding cuts, potentially 83%, could lead to over 1.4 crore preventable deaths by 2030, with a significant portion among children under five. This reduction risks reversing decades of health progress in low and middle-income countries, creating a crisis comparable to a global pandemic or major conflict. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Steep funding cuts to the United States Agency for International Development ( USAID ) could result in over 1.4 crore preventable deaths by 2030, a third of which could be among children aged under five, according to a study published in The Lancet study said the fund cuts could reverse decades of progress and that for many low and middle-income countries, the resulting shock would be comparable in scale to a "global pandemic" or a "major armed conflict".In March, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump's administration has cancelled 83 per cent of all programmes at USAID, the world's largest funding agency for humanitarian and development cuts "risk abruptly halting -- and even reversing -- two decades of progress in health among vulnerable populations," study coordinator Davide Rasella, research professor at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) in Spain, said."For many low- and middle-income countries, the resulting shock would be comparable in scale to a global pandemic or a major armed conflict," Rasella researchers also estimated that between 2001 and 2021, more than nine crore deaths in low and middle-income countries were prevented because of USAID-supported programmes. About a third of these were among children."Our analysis shows that USAID funding has been an essential force in saving lives and improving health outcomes in some of the world's most vulnerable regions over the past two decades," first author Daniella Cavalcanti, a postdoctoral researcher at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil, the analysis, the researchers used models to forecast impacts due to two scenarios -- continuing funding at the 2023-level, or implementing the sharp reduction of 83 per cent announced in March 2025."Current steep funding cuts could result in more than 1,40,51,750 additional all-age deaths, including 45,37,157 in children younger than age five years, by 2030," the authors study also found that USAID-supported programmes were associated with a 15 per cent reduced all-cause mortality and a 32 per cent reduced death rates among children under in countries receiving high levels of USAID support, the strongest impact was found in priority disease areas -- deaths from HIV/AIDS fell by 74 per cent, malaria by 53 per cent, and neglected tropical diseases by 51 per cent, compared to countries receiving low or no research is the first comprehensive analysis to assess the impact of total USAID funding, including support for health care, nutrition, humanitarian aid, development, education, and related sectors, on mortality rates in low and middle-income countries over the past two decades, the study said.
Hindustan Times
01-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Lancet study projects US foreign aid cuts could result in over 1.4 crore preventable deaths globally
New Delhi, Steep funding cuts to the United States Agency for International Development could result in over 1.4 crore preventable deaths by 2030, a third of which could be among children aged under five, according to a study published in The Lancet journal. Lancet study projects US foreign aid cuts could result in over 1.4 crore preventable deaths globally The study said the fund cuts could reverse decades of progress and that for many low and middle-income countries, the resulting shock would be comparable in scale to a "global pandemic" or a "major armed conflict". In March, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said President Donald Trump's administration has cancelled 83 per cent of all programmes at USAID, the world's largest funding agency for humanitarian and development aid. The cuts "risk abruptly halting and even reversing two decades of progress in health among vulnerable populations," study coordinator Davide Rasella, research professor at the Barcelona Institute for Global Health in Spain, said. "For many low- and middle-income countries, the resulting shock would be comparable in scale to a global pandemic or a major armed conflict," Rasella said. The researchers also estimated that between 2001 and 2021, more than nine crore deaths in low and middle-income countries were prevented because of USAID-supported programmes. About a third of these were among children. "Our analysis shows that USAID funding has been an essential force in saving lives and improving health outcomes in some of the world's most vulnerable regions over the past two decades," first author Daniella Cavalcanti, a postdoctoral researcher at the Federal University of Bahia, Brazil, said. For the analysis, the researchers used models to forecast impacts due to two scenarios continuing funding at the 2023-level, or implementing the sharp reduction of 83 per cent announced in March 2025. "Current steep funding cuts could result in more than 1,40,51,750 additional all-age deaths, including 45,37,157 in children younger than age five years, by 2030," the authors wrote. The study also found that USAID-supported programmes were associated with a 15 per cent reduced all-cause mortality and a 32 per cent reduced death rates among children under five. Further, in countries receiving high levels of USAID support, the strongest impact was found in priority disease areas deaths from HIV/AIDS fell by 74 per cent, malaria by 53 per cent, and neglected tropical diseases by 51 per cent, compared to countries receiving low or no support. The research is the first comprehensive analysis to assess the impact of total USAID funding, including support for health care, nutrition, humanitarian aid, development, education, and related sectors, on mortality rates in low and middle-income countries over the past two decades, the study said. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
HIV cases more than double in Middle East and North Africa
Cases of HIV have more than doubled in the Middle East and North Africa over the last decade, new research shows. The number of new HIV infections in five countries – Jordan, Tunisia, Egypt, Morocco, and Lebanon – have risen by 116 per cent since 2010 and are expected to rise even further, according to a report from the charity Frontline Aids. Ongoing conflicts and displacement, which have placed people in the region more at risk of HIV infection, are partly to blame for the rise, the report's authors say. High levels of stigma in the region – including laws banning homosexuality – have also created barriers for vulnerable populations to access life-saving HIV prevention and treatments. At least 22,962 cases of HIV were recorded in 2023, compared to less than 11,000 cases in 2010. The rise bucks global trends, which have seen a 39 per cent decrease in new HIV infections over the same period. 'This is a crisis. The MENA region is being left behind. Without urgent investment and action, we could see the HIV epidemic escalating at an unprecedented rate,' said Golda Eid, Programmes Lead at Frontline AIDS. The report warns that limited political will and inadequate funding to tackle HIV in the MENA region are resulting in spiralling numbers of infections. 'I believe the actual numbers are much higher than those reported. The 116 per cent increase is linked to very limited testing coverage, and the size of the key affected population is not well known,' said Dr Mohammed El Khammas, Head of International Actions at Association for the Fight Against AIDS. Despite surging infections, in 2023 the MENA region received less than one per cent of global funding for HIV, which Frontline Aid says leaves an 85 per cent funding shortfall to provide effective HIV response. The report comes at the same time as experts have warned that US and UK aid cuts could trigger a huge resurgence in HIV cases, particularly in Africa, with up to 10.8 million more people expected to be infected globally by 2030 as critical HIV programmes are slashed. 'The current cuts to Pepfar and USAID-supported programmes have already disrupted access to essential HIV services, including for antiretroviral therapy and HIV prevention and testing,' said Dr Debra ten Brink, a scientist at Australia's Burnet Institute. 'Looking ahead, if other donor countries reduce funding, decades of progress to treat and prevent HIV could be unravelled.' Frontline Aids is now calling for stronger political leadership, increased funding programs, the destigmatisation of key populations, improved service delivery, and integration of HIV into general humanitarian response to reduce the surge in infections. Protect yourself and your family by learning more about Global Health Security Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
