USAID cuts: Immediate and devastating

Al Jazeera | We examine how USAID cuts are affecting millions of people worldwide.

United States President Donald Trump has suspended nearly all operations of the US Agency for International Development (USAID) for 90 days, leaving millions of people without critical support. HIV clinics shut down overnight, cutting off life-saving treatment, while diseases like cholera and malaria are set to spread. Food aid programmes from Venezuela to the Democratic Republic of the Congo have halted, and many students can no longer continue their education. USAID’s crucial work in healthcare, human rights and education is now frozen, disrupting thousands of global projects and lives. What will be the long-term impact of this decision?

“The US aid cuts are devastating not only to the Chin people but Myanmar’s most vulnerable. For the hungry and sick, even a day’s wait is too long. A phased reduction could have lessened the blow and saved lives in the process.” Dr. Biak Cung Lian, Health and Protection Program Manager, Chin Human Rights Organization