USAID budget slashes threaten millions of lives, especially young children

Researchers warn that cuts to the US Agency for International Development (USAID) could result in approximately 14 million preventable deaths worldwide over the next five years. Alarmingly, children under five are projected to account for nearly a third of these fatalities, with an estimated 4.5 million young lives lost.

The report underscores the urgency of reversing the “abrupt funding cuts announced and implemented in the first half of 2025,” cautioning that failure to do so could “cause millions of avoidable deaths—particularly among the most vulnerable” and jeopardize decades of progress in health and socioeconomic development in low and middle-income countries (LMICs), Caliber.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Since its establishment in 1961, USAID has played a pivotal role in global humanitarian assistance and development, especially in LMICs and African nations. The agency’s programs are credited with preventing more than 91 million deaths, roughly one-third of which were children. The study highlights that USAID’s efforts have contributed to a 65% reduction in deaths from HIV/AIDS, saving an estimated 25.5 million people.

In addition, USAID interventions have averted eight million deaths from malaria, over 11 million from diarrheal diseases, and nearly five million from tuberculosis (TB). These figures underscore the agency’s critical role in advancing global health.

However, the agency has recently faced significant funding cuts. The Trump administration notably targeted USAID as part of broader efforts to eliminate perceived government waste, with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), formerly overseen by Elon Musk, leading these reductions. By March 2025, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio reported that more than 80% of USAID programs had been shuttered after a six-week review, leaving roughly 1,000 initiatives operational.

Despite these setbacks, the US remains the largest donor of humanitarian aid globally, providing approximately $61 billion (£44 billion) in foreign assistance in 2024, which accounts for at least 38% of total global aid. USAID continues to be the world’s leading provider of humanitarian and development assistance.

Between 2017 and 2020 alone, USAID responded to over 240 natural disasters and crises worldwide, and in 2016, it delivered food aid to more than 53 million people across 47 countries.

The comprehensive study assessed mortality rates across 133 countries and territories supported by USAID between 2001 and 2021, highlighting the far-reaching impact of the agency’s work and the profound consequences of the recent funding cuts.

By Vafa Guliyeva