MSF remains committed to providing global health and humanitarian aid, but we can’t do it all alone.
The US Congress’ decision to pull back around $8 billion it had previously promised for foreign assistance will exacerbate an already dire situation for people caught in conflict and crisis all over the world, said Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) today. Recent votes in the US Senate and House follow President Trump’s actions earlier this year aimed at significantly cutting US-supported global health and humanitarian programs worldwide.
While MSF welcomes Congress’ decision to prevent additional cuts to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and emergency food assistance, the money it did rescind will add fuel to the growing global health and humanitarian emergency created by the US foreign assistance cuts which took place earlier this year. MSF has already begun to witness the life-threatening consequences of these cuts, including closed clinics, disruptions of key vaccination campaigns, missing sexual and reproductive health tools, and shortages of clean drinking water.
Foreign assistance typically represents approximately only 1 percent of the US’ federal budget but saves countless lives around the world.
MSF does not accept US government funding and is therefore not directly affected by US aid cuts. However, MSF can’t do it alone; it relies on networks of local and international organizations that also provide medical assistance as well as those who provide assistance for non-medical needs such as food security, shelter, and protection. For example, when food aid is cut, MSF’s clinics are filled with malnourished children. When shelter programs are cut, MSF does not have anywhere to refer vulnerable patients after they’re discharged from the hospital.
Mihir Mankad, director of global health advocacy and policy at MSF USA, said today:
“While further damage to PEPFAR and Food For Peace has fortunately been spared for now, Congress’ rescission of about $8 billion in health and humanitarian aid funding reinforces the ongoing withdrawal of US leadership in global health and humanitarian assistance—an area that has historically received bipartisan support—and will further harm some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
“Humanitarian and medical groups have been left scrambling to carry out lifesaving services without money, staff, or certainty about what comes next. Doctors don’t know what to tell their patients when they ask where they’ll be able to continue their HIV or tuberculosis care. Community leaders can’t assure their neighbors that there will be NGOs around to vaccinate kids against deadly diseases. The recission package will only make this situation worse for those most in need.”
“We cannot and should not accept this dangerous new normal.”
“MSF remains committed to providing health and humanitarian aid across the world, but we can’t do it all alone. In the next US budget, lawmakers must support critical global health and humanitarian aid to prevent this growing global health and humanitarian emergency from turning even more catastrophic.”
