The suspension of funding for the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has led to the interruption of HIV and other disease treatment in 50 countries around the world. This is reported by BBC, citing a statement by the Director-General of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, reports UNN.
The official, in particular, called on the administration of US President Donald Trump to consider restoring funding for assistance until other solutions are found.
"There are actions by the US government that, unfortunately, have a serious impact on global health. ... Clinics are closed, and healthcare workers have been sent on leave," Ghebreyesus said.
As an example, he cited the suspension of PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, which, he said, suspended HIV treatment, testing and prevention in 50 countries.
Supplement
Earlier, Trump called USAID a "incompetent and corrupt" organization and announced a large-scale reduction of 10,000 agency employees and the immediate suspension of almost all of its aid programs.
The agency spends about $40 billion - approximately 0.6% of the total annual US government spending - on humanitarian aid, a significant portion of which goes to health programs. The vast majority of USAID money is spent in Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Europe, where it is mostly used for humanitarian efforts in Ukraine, the media reports.
