A cascade of alarm has swept through global health corridors following the Trump administration’s recent decision to halt the supply of lifesaving drugs for HIV, malaria, and tuberculosis, as well as critical medical supplies for newborns in nations supported by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Health experts warn that this abrupt action could undo years of progress in fighting these epidemics, ultimately impacting millions of lives.
USAID-funded programs have been instrumental in assisting populations worldwide—offering not only treatment for HIV/AIDS but also contributions towards clean water access, healthcare infrastructure, and bolstering children’s health. However, in a drastic turn of events, sources revealed that contractors and partners associated with USAID received memos to cease work immediately.
This halt is not isolated but part of a broader freeze on US aid and funding since Trump took office on January 20. Allegations have emerged indicating that approximately 60 senior career officials at USAID were placed on leave, implicated in actions deemed as efforts to circumvent executive orders from the President. Acting Administrator Jason Gray addressed the issue through a memo, confirming, “As a result, we have placed a number of USAID employees on administrative leave with full pay and benefits until further notice while we complete our analysis of these actions.”
The repercussions of this suspension were swiftly felt on Friday when the State Department issued a stop-work order worldwide for existing assistance. A following memo clarified to USAID staff that the pause on foreign aid spending signified “a complete halt”, with exceptions only made for emergency humanitarian food assistance and returning officials.
Former USAID official Jeremy Konyndyk, now president of Refugees International, voiced serious concerns, asserting, “If this is not reversed, it will wreck US foreign aid… It would permanently weaken USAID.” The long-term impacts are yet to be fully realised, but the immediate anxiety is palpable.
Professor Leslie London, Chair of Public Health Medicine at the University of Cape Town, offered a sobering analysis of the potential fallout. “Firstly, it will have a devastatingly bad impact on HIV control, and secondary illnesses will rise, including TB. South Africa is already a world leader in morbidity and mortality rates related to these diseases. Once HIV control wanes, TB incidence will rise along with all the other HIV-associated conditions,” he explained.
London further highlighted the interconnectedness of global health and economic stability. “It’s not in anyone’s interest, including the USA, that the HIV epidemic should have a global resurgence. It will destabilise economies worldwide. The US wants people to buy their products not just in high-income countries but across all economies. If people aren’t well enough to earn, that’s detrimental to the US’s markets.” This quote starkly conveys the broader implications of such healthcare cuts—pointing to a geopolitics paradigm focused on inward-looking policies that may overlook global security.
In light of these developments, London emphasised the need for countries to reassess their reliance on donor funding for essential health services—calling it a critical wake-up call. Meanwhile, organisations closer to home, such as the Sex Workers Education and Advocacy Taskforce (Sweat), expressed urgent concern, urging the South African government to secure uninterrupted access to lifesaving medications. “Without immediate intervention, South Africa faces a dire risk of mass treatment defaulting, heightened vulnerability to HIV, and a reversal of years of progress in addressing public health crises,” the organisation warned.