International health organizations are calling on the European Union to take a leadership role in global health funding following significant cuts to foreign aid by the United States and other donor nations, Politico reports.
Experts warn that reduced financial support could jeopardize decades of progress in fighting diseases such as HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, putting millions of lives at risk.
The US has historically been a major contributor to global health programs, particularly through initiatives like the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria and Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance. However, since President Donald Trump took office in January, his administration has significantly scaled back funding for international aid programs, including an 80% reduction in USAID initiatives. This has left many organizations uncertain about their future operations.
The US is not alone in reducing foreign aid. The UK, the Netherlands, Germany, and France have also announced cuts to their international development budgets, shifting their focus to domestic and defense spending. In total, these reductions amount to billions of dollars in lost funding for health programs in low- and middle-income countries.
Peter Sands, CEO of the Global Fund, described the situation as a “moment of reckoning” and urged other global donors to step in.
“There are huge uncertainties—not just about the US, but about what other donors will do,” he said.
With several major donors scaling back, global health leaders are turning to the European Union for support. Sania Nishtar, CEO of Gavi, emphasized the importance of the EU stepping up, particularly in Africa.
“As some countries backtrack from development assistance, it would be very important for the EU to signal that development is still a priority and that it remains a reliable partner,” she said.
Laurent Muschel, acting director general at the EU’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA), has stated that the European Commission remains committed to supporting global health. However, it remains unclear whether the EU will compensate for the US funding cuts.
The consequences of these cuts could be severe. The Global Fund, which has helped reduce death rates from AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria by 61% over the past two decades, may struggle to maintain its progress. Similarly, Gavi, which has vaccinated over 1.1 billion children, faces uncertainty.
The World Health Organization has already warned of a “devastating impact” on tuberculosis programs, particularly in regions where childhood TB cases are rising. Malaria programs, already struggling with climate change and drug resistance, also risk losing momentum.
In Ukraine and Eastern Europe, where USAID funding supports crucial HIV and TB prevention efforts, organizations like the Alliance for Public Health are struggling to find alternative funding. Andriy Klepikov, the Alliance’s executive director, described potential cuts to HIV prevention programs at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as a “disaster,” warning of rising infections and undiagnosed cases.
With the EU increasing its defense spending, global health advocates stress that health security should also remain a priority.
“Now more than ever, it’s important for the EU to step up and signal the importance of life-saving interventions,” Nishtar said.
