Millions of HIV-positive people who access antiretroviral treatment “get those drugs through PEPFAR,” according to a former officials at USAID’s global health bureau.
Now, “those efforts are not happening,” added the official, who like most others interviewed for this story spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of losing their job and hurting their career prospects.
Global health
As well as threatening health programs abroad, dismantling the agency would impact health at home too, several current and former USAID workers warned.
“The administration’s dismantling of the agency has completely invited the next pandemic to unravel and to come to the United States,” the former official from the global health bureau said, citing the outbreaks of mpox and Ebola in parts of Africa.
A separate USAID worker who spoke on the condition of anonymity for fear of losing their job also cautioned that America’s ability to contain outbreaks from becoming epidemics or even pandemics had been hurt.
“Everything from biosecurity to safety in labs to preparedness and prevention of outbreaks” was being seriously impacted, along with the ability to contain them “before they become global events,” the person said.
“We can’t wait until cases are coming into the country and we’re screening at the airport for us to be secure as a country,” the USAID worker said. “This is going to have serious impacts, not just on our programming overseas, but on our own security and safety in America.”
Agriculture and environment
As well as funding health programs, USAID supports farmers and agricultural programs. In fiscal year 2023, more than $1 billion in disbursements managed by USAID covered agricultural initiatives, according to ForeignAssistance.gov.
More than $11 million went to aid and development programs covering environmental initiatives, with the majority of that funding focused on sub-Saharan Africa.
USAID has also helped in conservation efforts around the world, including the Brazilian Amazon, where it supported grassroots organizations aimed at improving family farming and addressing climate change.
Peace and security
More than $16 billion in disbursements managed by USAID was dedicated to “government and civil society” initiatives in fiscal year 2023, according to ForeignAssistance.gov, which also found $1.58 billion dedicated to democracy, human rights and governance. Some $416 million went to “peace and security.”
USAID has provided “significant humanitarian, development and economic support” to Ukraine, which has been engaged in a full-scale war with Russia for almost three years, according to a review by the Congressional Research Service updated on Jan. 6.
