Donald Trump’s administration has announced that it will end the US financial support to the Gavi organizationresponsible for buying vaccines for developing countries, as well as the reduction of help to combat malaria, one of the main causes of death worldwide.
These are decisions that are part of the cuts made by the Trump government in the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and that are included in a 281 -page document that was sent on Monday to Congress and to which The North Times has had access.
Although the United States You will maintain some subsidies As medications to treat HIV or tuberculosis, as well as humanitarian aid for countries that face civil wars or natural disasters, are minimal compared to the cuts that it has carried out.
6,000 to 800 employees
The 281 document shows how the administration, which carries half a century in operation Presenting the United States as an ally, it has gone from more than 6,000 workers to 869, which represents 85.5% less personnel.
In addition, Trump has decided to eliminate most of the financing of this agency, so what is now the USAID is simply the skeleton of what it was.
More than 5,000 canceled grants
USAID is characterized by offering international help to the most needy regions. The administration has decided to eliminate 5,341 and continue only 898. According to the document, the programs that will continue have a value of $ 78,000 million, however Only 8,300 of them are available To pocket.
Taking into account that this money covers subsidies with maturity several years, Trump It has cut 40,000 million annually.
A state department spokesman defends the cuts because “each one has been reviewed individually and the terminations were executed when the Rubio Secretary determined that were inconsistent with national interest or the priorities of the agency’s policy. “
The judges are studying the legality of the cuts
While there is still hope for these cuts in foreign aids not to be carried out, since spending on health programs such as HIV or vaccination is assigned by Congressso it is not clear that the administration can cancel them.
Among the cuts is the UN financing for food and agriculture (FAO) or programs for monitoring the fight against malaria. For example, Gavi’s canceled subsidy was 2.6 billion dollars Until 2030. The United States contributes 13% of the budget of this organization and it is estimated that it has saved the life of 19 million children since it was created in 2000.
