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Aid Cuts Linked to Tragic Child Deaths
17 Jul
Summary
- Three children died due to lack of medical services after USAID funding cuts.
- Families report inability to afford life-saving medications.
- Expert estimates over 700,000 deaths from foreign aid reduction.
The withdrawal of funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has been associated with the deaths of three children in Nigeria and Kenya. Abdullahi Ibrahim, aged 10, succumbed to an asthma attack in Nigeria after his family could no longer afford the necessary medication. In Kenya, 16-year-old Purity Wamboi died from tuberculosis, with her family and a community health promoter indicating that a delayed diagnosis was linked to reduced community outreach services formerly funded by USAID.
Similarly, 8-year-old Ibrahim Garba in Nigeria died from typhoid fever after his family could not afford the antibiotic treatment following its discontinuation as a free service. Health officials confirmed that USAID had previously covered these costs. Experts estimate that the abrupt halt in U.S. foreign aid, which began in March 2025, could be responsible for over 700,000 deaths globally, disproportionately affecting children in low- and middle-income countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
The U.S. State Department points to new bilateral memorandums of understanding (MOUs) with countries like Kenya and Nigeria as a different model of foreign assistance, involving co-investment and greater country ownership. However, these agreements, while substantial, represent a decrease in direct U.S. government contributions compared to prior USAID levels. Experts suggest that while these new systems may yield future health benefits, the sudden termination of previous aid disrupted essential services and supply chains, making the transition challenging and potentially contributing to preventable deaths.
