What Does Dismantling USAID Mean For Global Health?
17:08 minutes
On the very first day of Donald Trump’s second term, he signed an executive order targeting foreign aid programs, especially the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
Comprising less than 0.1% of the federal budget, USAID provides international humanitarian and development aid for poverty eradication, education, disease prevention, and medical programs. The Trump administration has cut off funding for these programs and most of the USAID staff was placed on leave or laid off.
Since January, hospitals and clinics in places like Thailand, Syria, and India have shuttered; clinical trials on HIV and maternal health have been canceled; and projects on polio, malaria, and tuberculosis prevention have been stopped.
Then, this week, the Supreme Court rejected a bid to keep some aid funds frozen. But what does that mean in practice for USAID’s global health initiatives?
Host Flora Lichtman talks about the global health implications of dismantling USAID with Dr. Atul Gawande, surgeon and former head of global health at USAID; and Dr. Salim Abdool Karim, epidemiologist and director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa.
Further Reading
- Follow public opinion on global health and USAID via KFF Health.
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Segment Guests
Atul Gawande
Dr. Atul Gawande is a surgeon and former assistant administrator for global health at USAID in Washington DC.
Salim Abdool Karim
Dr. Salim Abdool Karim is an epidemiologist and the Director of the Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa. He’s based in Durban, South Africa.
Segment Transcript
The transcript of this segment is being processed. It will be available early next week.
Meet the Producers and Host
About Rasha Aridi
Rasha Aridi is a producer for Science Friday and the inaugural Outrider/Burroughs Wellcome Fund Fellow. She loves stories about weird critters, science adventures, and the intersection of science and history.
About Flora Lichtman
Flora Lichtman is a host of Science Friday. In a previous life, she lived on a research ship where apertivi were served on the top deck, hoisted there via pulley by the ship’s chef.