
Among the numerous executive orders signed by Donald Trump on his first day of second tenure is the complete halt of foreign aid related to HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis. Trump also ordered to stop the supplies of drugs and equipment concerning childcare in USAID-supported countries. The decision is part of 90 day policy review to assess the efficiency and consistency of nation's foreign policy.
According to the memo issued by the State Department, the pause includes current foreign assistance programs and other pivotal schemes like President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). Though the halt is for a 90 day period, this decision will have a significant impact on the global health as it interferes with the efforts to tackle major health problems like malaria, tuberculosis and HIV.
The 90 day freeze period will involve review of the foreign policy under the guidelines provided by the Secretary of State and will also review whether to extend the 'cease period' if found necessary. Many global health aid programs might be modified or stopped after the evaluation by the Secretary of State.
Whether this decision could aid or worsen United States' position in the global scenario is still a debatable topic.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID) leads international development and humanitarian efforts to save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance and provide assistance to various developing nations. It aids the world in health, education, and civil society projects.
USAIR works on child care and education programs in various developing nations with the aim to improve the quality of education and provide care for children, especially girls and those who are disabled.
The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), established by President George W. Bush in 2003 saves lives, prevents millions of HIV infections, and supports several countries to achieve HIV epidemic control. With a total of $100 billion spent, PEPFAR is the largest public health commitment in history by any country to address a single disease. With this being halted, millions of people living with HIV could be put at risk and it further raises the prospect of more dangerous drug-resistant strains.
Donald Trump had planned to withdraw from the World Health Organization (WHO) during his first term. However, the time period of one year was not met by Trump since he was replaced by Joe Biden. Now, Trump will reinitiate the process and halt the funding. The absence of U.S. funding will have an impact on WHO’s operations, since U.S. is the largest donor to its revenue.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Jithin Paul/MSM)