Latest news with #MichaelAdekunleCharles
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Countries, global health groups band together as US aid gaps threaten lives
LONDON/NAIROBI, March 11 - Governments and global health groups are working to try to fill the most urgent gaps in the fight against diseases such as malaria and HIV, including sharing tests and treatments internationally, after the U.S. government froze foreign aid funding. The Trump administration said this week it has cut more than 80% of programmes, which health groups say threatens efforts to tackle deadly diseases across the globe. Some programmes have survived or been reinstated, but funding remains scarce, and the future unclear. 'We are trying to say to countries: 'Ok, you have more commodities, your neighbouring country does not have them, could you potentially give them some until we figure out a way of going ahead?',' said Michael Adekunle Charles, head of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria. The World Health Organization and other groups have also said they are working with countries to fill gaps in HIV testing and treatment, in a similar way to during the COVID pandemic when countries shared resources to prevent shortages. Some governments, such as Kenya and Malawi, have moved staff and are discussing emergency financing, but the funds are limited and staff are not necessarily trained in the disease areas they have been deployed to, experts said. Florence Riako Anam, co-executive director of the Global Network of People Living with HIV, said many countries supported by donor funding had already been working on roadmaps to take more control of their HIV work domestically. But that does not solve the immediate issues. More: Rubio offers olive branch to Musk after reported Cabinet blowup 'The problem we are facing today is facing all neighbouring countries ... so I think that is a challenge,' said Nelson Otwoma, director of the National Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya, referring to the potential to share medical tools. Countries should also prioritise the most lifesaving interventions, including treatment and bednets for prevention, said Joy Phumaphi, executive secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance. 'We must all work together to fill the immediate gaps while planning for longer term financing solutions,' she said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: USAID cuts: Countries, global health groups band together
Reuters
11-03-2025
- Health
- Reuters
Countries, global health groups band together as US aid gaps threaten lives
LONDON/NAIROBI, March 11 (Reuters) - Governments and global health groups are working to try to fill the most urgent gaps in the fight against diseases such as malaria and HIV, including sharing tests and treatments internationally, after the U.S. government froze foreign aid funding. The Trump administration said this week it has cut more than 80% of programmes, which health groups say threatens efforts to tackle deadly diseases across the globe. Some programmes have survived or been reinstated, but funding remains scarce, and the future unclear. 'We are trying to say to countries: 'Ok, you have more commodities, your neighbouring country does not have them, could you potentially give them some until we figure out a way of going ahead?',' said Michael Adekunle Charles, head of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria. The World Health Organization and other groups have also said they are working with countries to fill gaps in HIV testing and treatment, in a similar way to during the COVID pandemic when countries shared resources to prevent shortages. Some governments, such as Kenya and Malawi, have moved staff and are discussing emergency financing, but the funds are limited and staff are not necessarily trained in the disease areas they have been deployed to, experts said. Florence Riako Anam, co-executive director of the Global Network of People Living with HIV, said many countries supported by donor funding had already been working on roadmaps to take more control of their HIV work domestically. But that does not solve the immediate issues. 'The problem we are facing today is facing all neighbouring countries ... so I think that is a challenge,' said Nelson Otwoma, director of the National Empowerment Network of People Living with HIV/AIDS in Kenya, referring to the potential to share medical tools. Countries should also prioritise the most lifesaving interventions, including treatment and bednets for prevention, said Joy Phumaphi, executive secretary of the African Leaders Malaria Alliance. 'We must all work together to fill the immediate gaps while planning for longer term financing solutions,' she said.
Voice of America
07-03-2025
- Health
- Voice of America
Some US cuts to global health programs reversed, groups say
Some global health projects whose U.S.-funded contracts were suddenly canceled last week have received letters reversing those decisions, according to media reports. The reversal came after the Trump administration ended about 90% of contracts funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. State Department. Democratic lawmakers, along with some Republicans and rights groups, have sharply criticized administration efforts to shut down federally funded humanitarian efforts around the world. Michael Adekunle Charles, chief executive of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, said his organization's letter reversing the cutoff of its funds arrived late Wednesday. 'I think it's good news. We need to wait in the coming days to get additional guidance,' he told Reuters. 'Our priority is saving lives, so the earlier we can get started to continue saving lives, the better.' Other programs that receive some U.S. funding to respond to tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS also had their cuts reversed. Still, uncertainty remains. "It sounds good, but we cannot draw down money,' Dr. Lucica Ditiu, executive director of Stop TB Partnership, told Reuters. 'We have no clarity.' A U.S. State Department spokesperson said the Trump administration had been working to review every dollar spent 'to ensure taxpayer resources are being used to make America safer, stronger and more prosperous.' Trump ordered a 90-day pause on all U.S. foreign aid on his first day back in the White House. Subsequent stop-work orders have drawn USAID operations around the world to a standstill. Most USAID staff have also been placed on leave or fired. On Wednesday, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a lower court's emergency order for the administration to quickly release funding to contractors and recipients of grants from USAID and the State Department. The funding would cover nearly $2 billion for work already performed by the organizations. Meanwhile, contractors and grant recipients suing the government are asking U.S. District Judge Amir Ali to set a new Monday deadline to release much of the funding for their completed work. The deadline would not apply to the entire $2 billion. The contractors and grant recipients are also asking for the restoration of most of the foreign aid contracts and grants, which the Trump administration ended last month, while the lawsuit continues. The administration said that 'all legitimate payments' owed to the plaintiffs would be made 'within days,' and not more than 10 days, but that foreign payments to other parties not in the lawsuit could take much longer. Some plaintiffs say that if they are not paid immediately, they are in danger of shuttering. Some information for this report came from Reuters and The Associated Press.
Reuters
06-03-2025
- Health
- Reuters
Some malaria, TB programme cuts reversed by US, sources say
LONDON, March 6 (Reuters) - Some lifesaving health projects that had their U.S. funding contracts abruptly terminated last week have received letters reversing that decision, two sources familiar with the projects and one of the groups told Reuters. The aid recipients said the decisions were promising, but their work remains in limbo as funding for their projects from the world's biggest donor had not yet restarted. On Thursday last week, the Trump administration cancelled around 90% of contracts funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the U.S. State Department, sending shockwaves across the global aid community. Michael Adekunle Charles, chief executive of the RBM Partnership to End Malaria, said his organization's letter reversing that decision arrived late on Wednesday. "I think it's good news. We need to wait in the coming days to get additional guidance," he said. "Our priority is saving lives, so the earlier we can get started to continue saving lives the better." However, Charles said that would be difficult unless funding started to flow again. Some U.S. foreign aid contractors and grant recipients will take their fight to get payments restored to a federal judge in the U.S on Thursday., opens new tab The U.S. State Department was not immediately availabl for comment. Other programmes hosted by the U.N. and part-funded by the U.S., including the Stop TB Partnership, also had termination notices reversed this week, two sources close to the groups told Reuters. Trump ordered a 90-day pause on all U.S. foreign aid on his first day back in office. That action, and ensuing stop-work orders halting USAID operations around the world, have jeopardized the delivery of life-saving food and medical aid, throwing global humanitarian relief efforts into chaos. The administration has also placed most USAID staff on leave and eliminated 1,600 jobs. Subsequent waivers for some of the work added to the confusion, followed by the terminations last week.
