U.S.A.I.D. Warns of Dire Health Consequences as Aid Cuts Enacted

Recent memos from a U.S.A.I.D. official highlight the severe expected repercussions of foreign aid cuts instituted by the Trump administration, including a rise in malaria cases, polio infections, and other health crises impacting children worldwide.

 

The recent decision by the Trump administration to significantly cut foreign aid and dissolve the U.S. Agency for International Development (U.S.A.I.D.) has the potential to inflict catastrophic human suffering globally. This alarming assessment comes from agency officials and whistleblowing memos obtained by The New York Times. Among the dire consequences forecasted are an increase of up to 18 million cases of malaria annually, leading to an estimated 166,000 additional deaths; approximately 200,000 children facing paralysis from polio each year; and one million children left untreated for severe acute malnutrition, resulting in fatalities.

Nicholas Enrich, the acting assistant administrator for global health at U.S.A.I.D., authored the memos and recently faced administrative leave. In his communications, he attributes these looming health crises to the “political leadership at U.S.A.I.D., the Department of State, and D.O.G.E.,” who have allegedly created significant barriers obstructing the implementation of vital aid initiatives. These officials have reportedly disrupted payment systems, established unproductive processes for funding disbursements, and continuously altered guidance on which activities should be deemed “lifesaving.”

Enrich also noted a drastic reduction in U.S.A.I.D.'s global health workforce, plummeting from 783 employees to fewer than 70. In an interview, he expressed his intent to reveal these internal challenges after receiving notification of his leave, aiming to shed light on the severe curtailment of U.S.A.I.D.'s capacity to provide essential humanitarian assistance. By sharing these details, Enrich hopes to clarify that the agency has not had a fair chance to deliver lifesaving aid amid ongoing political upheavals affecting foreign assistance.