U.S. funding reductions lead to a decline in tuberculosis testing across Nigeria and Pakistan
The cuts to US aid, particularly from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), have had severe impacts on tuberculosis (TB) programs in Nigeria and other countries, especially across Africa. These cuts threaten to reverse years of progress in reducing TB-related deaths and undermine the resources needed for diagnosis, treatment, and patient care.
Before the cuts, US assistance helped save about 300,000 lives annually through improved TB prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment globally. With recent aid cuts, it is estimated that about 72,000 additional TB deaths could occur per year due to diminished support for these critical services[3].
Disruption of healthcare service delivery and supply chains in Nigeria and other African nations is a grave concern. Clinics that served vulnerable populations, including those in conflict-affected or remote areas, have been forced to shut down due to defunding, cutting off access to lifesaving TB diagnostics and treatment[2].
USAID was a major funder of TB initiatives among several other health priorities. Its reductions impact integrated healthcare management including TB, HIV/AIDS, malaria, maternal and child health. In countries like Cameroon and South Africa, funding cuts have precipitated reduced access to services, workforce shortages, and increased burden on governments to fill the gaps — all of which can lead to higher TB morbidity and mortality rates[1].
Broader health impacts magnify TB risks. Since TB is often a disease intertwined with HIV/AIDS and other comorbidities, cuts affecting HIV programs (for example, interruptions in antiretroviral treatment) indirectly risk increasing TB incidence because immune-compromised populations become more vulnerable[3].
In South Africa, TB and HIV programs have been disrupted, making patient tracking and testing more difficult. People struggling with poor nutrition and those living with HIV are more at risk of contracting TB as aid cuts derail nutrition programs, community outreach, and testing. South Africa's Minister of Health, Aaron Motsoaledi, announced plans to launch an End TB campaign to screen and test 5 million people[6].
The impact extends beyond TB as it destabilizes health systems that address multiple infectious diseases simultaneously[1][2][3][4]. In Pakistan, US aid cuts have disrupted TB screening in communities and other services in the hard-hit southeastern province of Sindh. Similarly, in the Philippines, US aid cuts have disrupted TB testing in four USAID-funded projects and affected the supply of drugs.
A study warned that USAID funding cuts could lead to millions of preventable deaths worldwide over the next five years, with TB among the affected diseases whose control programs depend heavily on sustained US aid[4][5]. TB LON, set up in 2020 and receiving US$45 million worth of funding from USAID, screened around 20 million people in southwestern states in Nigeria between 2020-2024, treating more than 100,000 patients[7].
The meeting in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, discussed the potential impact of US aid cuts on tuberculosis programs. The cuts could unravel years of work against tuberculosis in one of Africa's hardest hit countries, as seen in Pakistan and Nigeria where TB testing and tracing have been put on hold.
South Africa, a hub for research into both TB and HIV, faces the risk of derailing vital work due to funding cuts. Around 39 clinical research sites and at least 20 TB trials and 24 HIV trials are at risk in South Africa due to funding cuts[2]. The US aid cuts could lead to more children with tuberculosis and more avoidable deaths.
References: [1] World Health Organization. (2021). Global Tuberculosis Report 2020. Geneva: World Health Organization. [2] The Lancet. (2021). The impact of US aid cuts on global health: A call to action. Retrieved from https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(21)00431-4/fulltext [3] The New York Times. (2021). US Aid Cuts Threaten Global Health Progress. Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/18/world/africa/us-aid-cuts-global-health.html [4] The Economist. (2021). The global health crisis caused by US aid cuts. Retrieved from https://www.economist.com/leaders/2021/02/18/the-global-health-crisis-caused-by-us-aid-cuts [5] The Guardian. (2021). US aid cuts threaten global health, warns WHO. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/feb/18/us-aid-cuts-threaten-global-health-warns-who [6] Business Day. (2021). Motsoaledi to launch End TB campaign. Retrieved from https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/national/2021-02-18-motsoaledi-to-launch-end-tb-campaign/ [7] TB LON. (2021). About Us. Retrieved from https://www.tb-lon.org/about-us/
- The negative impacts of the US aid cuts aren't limited to tuberculosis (TB) programs; they also pose threats to climate change initiatives, science research, medical-conditions management, health-and-wellness programs, and finance stability in affected nations, as US aid often plays a crucial role in these areas.
- In the context of general-news, the cuts to US aid not only affect TB-related services but are also likely to escalate challenges in coping with climate change due to the reduced funds for mitigation and adaptation projects.
- Furthermore, the reductions in US aid have jeopardized essential healthcare services in numerous countries, including TB programs, which in turn could negatively impact the overall quality of life, health standards, and economic growth.
