The Unseen Impact of Aid Cuts

The U. S. aid cuts have had a significant impact on global health programs. The impact of these cuts is far-reaching and has real consequences for people around the world. In Nigeria, a mother named Mariam Mohammed experienced this firsthand. She lost her younger son, Babagana, due to the disruptions caused by these aid cuts. Babagana had sickle cell disease and needed medical attention. One night, Mariam noticed her son had a fever. She rushed him to the local clinic, but it was closed. The clinic was funded by USAID and had been shut down as part of a massive pause in foreign assistance. Babagana died that night. The clinic was the busiest medical facility in the area, seeing up to 400 patients a day. Babagana's doctor at the clinic, Edifre Jacob, believes that his team could have saved Babagana if he had received medical help in time. Sickle cell disease is a serious condition that requires prompt medical care. Even in places with more medical resources, quick medical care for sickle cell patients is crucial. The U. S. Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has stated that no one has died due to these aid cuts. However, Mariam's story challenges this claim. She believes that her son's death was a direct result of the disruptions caused by the aid cuts. The clinic had been closed for more than two months by the time it reopened, and Babagana did not receive the medical care he needed. The impact of these aid cuts is not limited to Babagana's story. Lawmakers have highlighted other individual stories of deaths that they attributed to the aid cuts. For example, Pe Kha Lau in Myanmar was unable to get oxygen at a local hospital after the aid cuts, and Evan Anzoo, a 5-year-old in South Sudan, could not get HIV medications previously funded by USAID. The death toll from these aid cuts is difficult to estimate. Many of the health systems that might have collected such data were funded by the same programs that got cut. However, a team at Boston University has estimated that over 96, 000 adults and 200, 000 infants and children have already died because of the cuts. These estimates are rough, but they highlight the potential implications of policy actions. Mariam now lives in fear of losing her older son, Umar, who also has sickle cell disease. She is relieved that the clinic has reopened, but the previous stop-work order underscores the fragility of the system. Her one wish is that USAID programs are allowed to continue. Umar simply misses playing with his little brother. The impact of these aid cuts is a complex issue that requires critical thinking and a deeper understanding of the consequences. It is important to consider the human cost of policy actions and to strive for a more compassionate and effective approach to global health.