USAID in Crisis: A Global Catastrophe Unfolding

Washington, DC - April 3, 2023: US Agency for International Development office entrance sign

(Adobe Stock 589286072 by John Hanson Pye)

For decades, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been a cornerstone of global health, humanitarian aid, and economic development. From providing life-saving services to strengthening food security, USAID has played a critical role in stabilizing communities worldwide—work that also protects US interests abroad. However, recent funding pauses and potential agency closures now threaten to undo decades of progress, leaving communities vulnerable and exacerbating global instability.

USAID was established in 1961 by President John F. Kennedy in response to the global need for economic development and humanitarian assistance. As one of the largest official aid agencies in the world, its mission has been to promote international stability, drive economic growth, and enhance global health. By addressing poverty, advancing democracy, and responding to humanitarian crises, USAID plays a vital role in fostering global partnerships that benefit both recipient nations and the US.

Unprecedented and Devastating

In a move that was both unprecedented and devastating, on January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed Executive Order 14169, entitled "Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid." The order initiated a 90-day suspension of all US foreign development assistance programs, including USAID. In just 2 weeks since the order was signed, the consequences of these actions are already becoming painstakingly apparent. The sudden halt in funding has closed clinic doors, delayed critical projects, and prevented access to essential aid in areas most in need. Now, news of a possible shutdown of the organization by the president’s administration is sweeping the world, as employees of the organization are told to stay home.

A future without USAID programs would be catastrophic and devastating to global health and development progress. However, the loss of the organization would impact not only distant nations but also our own. The impact would be felt at home as American health security, economic interests, and diplomatic relationships are upturned. As the agency faces an uncertain future, the question is: What will happen if the world’s leading global development agency is forced to scale back or shut down its operations?

Heather Stoltzfus, MPH, RN, CIC

(Image credit: Author)

The Immediate Impact

Across the world, the effects of funding cuts are already being felt. Clinics that once provided essential medical services are closing their doors or reducing services. Salaries of frontline health care workers are being slashed, forcing experts out of their professions. Life-saving programs for maternal health, infectious disease prevention, and nutrition are being paused or abandoned altogether. Communities that once relied on USAID-backed projects are left with little to no support, forcing them to make impossible choices.

In a press release from Doctors without Borders (MSF), Chief Executive Officer of MSF USA, Avril Benoît, shares how the sudden halt in foreign assistance from USAID has had broad sweeping impacts across the globe, “It’s already resulted in the loss of lifesaving medical humanitarian aid and harmful impacts on patient communities. In the last week, MSF’s medical teams have witnessed confusion as clinics and other critical services previously supported by USAID were shut down without warning.”

The consequences are particularly devastating in fragile regions where USAID-funded clinics provide the only access to health care. Without these programs, diseases that were once under control—such as tuberculosis, malaria, and HIV/AIDS—will resurge. Vaccination programs will be disrupted, increasing the risk of preventable outbreaks. Malnutrition rates could rise as food security initiatives are shut down. These are not just statistics; they represent lives upended by the abrupt loss of critical aid funding.

In an exclusive interview with John and Grace Sankok of Community Health Partners Kenya, Infection Control Today^® learned about the impact [on] their clinics and clinic staff in the Maasai communities of East Africa: “All of our clinics have been affected. Some of our staff are funded by PEPFAR grants through USAID. They’ve had to go on compulsory unpaid leave. We still have antiretrovirals left over for our HIV/AIDS patients, also provided through PEPFAR, but we don’t know how long these will last us.”

Juli Duvall-Jones of the Clinique Protection Infantile Mobile (PIM) in Ivory Coast expressed similar concerns about the ability of their programs to continue with the threat of lost funding looming. “The PIM clinics serve as the regional HIV/ AIDS center for the eastern part of Ivory Coast, overseeing HIV/AIDS prevention and care for 3 districts. Those districts care for just over 19,000 HIV patients, performing 150,000 to 200,000 HIV tests per month. On Monday [February 3, 2025], all activity in the HIV prevention program was stopped abruptly and without notice. Patients, many of them pregnant women receiving prophylactic medication, will be unable to receive their antiretrovirals unless the clinics find funding to pay for them. When our clinic started working with HIV patients in 2016, HIV infection among the general population was 35%. This year, the rate of infection is 3.9%. We fear that such an abrupt end to this program could quickly undo almost a decade of progress made against HIV/AIDS in the region.”

The Broader Consequences

While the direct impact on affected communities is severe, the consequences of USAID’s funding crisis extend far beyond the borders of the nations it serves. The weakening of global health systems increases the risk of poor infectious disease control, which can reach the US faster than ever in our interconnected world. The loss of economic development programs can contribute to national instability, driving conflict, displacement, and migration crises that burden global security efforts.

From a strategic perspective, cutting USAID’s funding undermines US influence in critical regions in global health, development, and economics. In the absence of American-led development programs, other nations will quickly step in, filling the vacuum with their own foreign aid initiatives that often come with political agendas attached. The erosion of USAID’s presence would further diminish America’s global leadership and weaken alliances with key partners.

Why This Matters to Americans

Many Americans may not immediately see how USAID’s funding crisis affects individuals around the world or themselves, but the reality is that these cuts will have direct and indirect consequences on life in the US.

• Public Health Risks: The US has already experienced firsthand how global health crises can impact our shores. By weakening the prevention and response to disease globally, these funding cuts leave Americans more vulnerable to future outbreaks.
• Economic Fallout: USAID’s programs promote global economic stability, fostering trade relationships that benefit American businesses. When developing nations lose support, markets shrink, and economic opportunities for US companies decrease.
• National Security Threats: Development aid is a proven tool for preventing conflict and terrorism. Without USAID’s stabilizing influence, fragile states are more likely to experience political upheaval, creating security risks that demand costly US military intervention.

A Call to Action

The pause in USAID funding is a policy failure with catastrophic human consequences. As Congress and the administration debate budget priorities, they must recognize that cutting USAID funding, even temporarily, is a short-sighted decision with long-term repercussions for global stability, global health, and the prioritization of US interests.

We must advocate for restoring and strengthening USAID’s funding to ensure that essential programs continue to serve vulnerable populations while protecting American interests. This is not just about charity—it is about sustaining America’s leadership in global health, security, and development. It is about protecting and advocating for our humanity both on foreign lands and at home.