DOGE: USAID
I worked on PEPFAR programs across southern Africa for over a decade. In 2001, on my first work trip to Soweto, I saw rows of patients with advanced AIDS—emaciated, with buckets under their cots due to non-stop diarrhea. Then PEPFAR launched in 2003.
The Stop TB Partnership estimates that since Jan 24th, there have been almost 12K additional deaths from TB worldwide. This threatens to reverse years of progress in TB prevention, diagnosis & treatment.
The idea that other nations or domestic budgets can fill this gap overnight is unrealistic. In Zambia, for example, US HIV aid equals 50% of the national health budget. This was a sudden rupture, not a gradual shift to local ownership.
Historically, the US has been a pivotal force in global health, providing funding, expertise & diplomatic support.
Meanwhile, China is increasing its influence in Africa through initiatives like the Belt & Road program. But its contributions to global health remain limited in scope, leaving a gap in leadership that the US used to fill.7
The Stop TB Partnership estimates that since Jan 24th, there have been almost 12K additional deaths from TB worldwide. This threatens to reverse years of progress in TB prevention, diagnosis & treatment.
The idea that other nations or domestic budgets can fill this gap overnight is unrealistic. In Zambia, for example, US HIV aid equals 50% of the national health budget. This was a sudden rupture, not a gradual shift to local ownership.
Historically, the US has been a pivotal force in global health, providing funding, expertise & diplomatic support.
Meanwhile, China is increasing its influence in Africa through initiatives like the Belt & Road program. But its contributions to global health remain limited in scope, leaving a gap in leadership that the US used to fill.7