Trump aid cuts threaten health crisis in Africa

Drastic new measures to cut US foreign aid by the Trump administration are set to devastate countries like Uganda, Nigeria, and the Congo, which rely heavily on aid to combat diseases like malaria.

According to the Associated Press, the US is the top bilateral funder of anti-malaria efforts in Africa, spending hundreds of millions of dollars annually to fight the disease.

However, with 90% of USAID’s foreign aid contracts being cut by the Trump administration, fears are growing that without US funding or support, many of these countries will simply be unable to cope.

Speaking about the issue, Dr. Jimmy Opigo, head of Uganda’s anti-malaria program, said that with US funding withdrawn, he and his colleagues are now focusing on “disaster preparation”

Dr. Opigo explained that essential supplies like anti-malaria medicines and mosquito nets for beds are crucial, comparing them to “our groceries”. Without a constant supply, disaster is inevitable.  

This concern is echoed in other African countries like Nigeria, where malaria-related deaths have fallen by  over 55% since 2000,largely thanks to US support 

But now the Trump administration has decided to cut aid globally, there is now a real concern that all that progress may be undone.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Africa’s population of 1.5 billion people accounted for nearly 95% of malaria-related deaths in 2023.

The disease infects millions every year and kills tens of thousands across the continent, making sustained support from the US and other global donors crucial in the fight against malaria.

Research from Washington-based charity Malaria No More suggests that any disruption in the current aid supply and funding could result in millions of additional malaria cases and at least 10,000 more deaths 

Despite these alarming projections, some healthcare agencies and charities remain hopeful that other global organizations and donors may step in to compensate for the loss of US funding.

However, whether this will be a viable long-term solution remains uncertain.

For now, one thing is clear: without US funding, the risk of a full-blown malaria epidemic in Africa is higher than ever before.

Associated Press