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More than 14 million people in extreme vulnerability, a third of them small children, could die as a result of cuts to foreign aid from United States driven by the administration of former President Donald Trump, according to a study published this week in the medical journal The Lancet.
The research was released as world leaders, UN officials, and business sector representatives met at an international conference on humanitarian aid held in Spain, against a backdrop of concern over the global decline in funds for international assistance.
The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), historically responsible for more than 40% of global humanitarian funding, has seen its operational capacity reduced since Trump's return to the White House in January. The authors of the study warn that these cuts not only limit the ability to respond to humanitarian emergencies, but could "halt, and even reverse, two decades of progress in health among vulnerable populations."
The most severe impact, according to the analysis, will be felt in communities that depend on vital vaccination programs, child nutrition, access to clean water, and basic medical care. The most affected areas would include countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, and regions of Latin America where USAID has historically operated.
"The human cost of this decision could be devastating," said one of the principal investigators. "We are talking about millions of preventable deaths, many of them of children under five years old."
The publication of the study in The Lancet has generated a strong reaction among non-governmental organizations, international agencies, and global health experts, who urge the US government to reconsider its foreign policy on humanitarian aid.
As the debate intensifies, the world's eyes are on the decisions Washington will make in the coming months and their potential impact on the well-being of millions of people on the planet.
