AhlulBayt News Agency: A newly published study warns that over 14 million people—including 4.5 million children under the age of five—could die by 2030 as a result of drastic US foreign aid cuts introduced under the Trump administration.
The study, released in The Lancet on Monday as global leaders met in Spain for a UN conference on aid, highlights the consequences of dismantling the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which previously provided over 40% of all global humanitarian support until January 2025.
In February 2025, Elon Musk, serving as a close advisor to President Trump, claimed to have taken USAID “through the woodchipper,” suggesting the agency had been gutted.
Led by Davide Rasella of the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), the research predicts that the 83% cut in US aid could undo 20 years of health gains across vulnerable countries.
Rasella emphasized that the impact on low- and middle-income nations would be comparable to that of a global pandemic or a major war.
By analyzing data from 133 countries, the researchers found that USAID programs helped prevent 91 million deaths between 2001 and 2021.
Projections show that without such aid, 700,000 children may die each year, particularly from preventable illnesses. USAID’s involvement was associated with a 15% drop in overall mortality and a 32% drop in child mortality.
Countries receiving high levels of USAID support saw 65% fewer deaths from HIV/AIDS and a 50% reduction in deaths from malaria and neglected tropical diseases.
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