Donald Trump under fire over the ‘disastrous implications’ of his latest move

Action for Global Health – a diverse, influential network convening more than 50 organisations including WaterAid, Plan International and Age International – has released an ‘emergency statement’ regarding recent US government Executive Orders by Donald Trump and their ‘disastrous implications’ for global health.

Donald Trump and his Executive Orders will have a devastating impact globally

The statement outlines the devastating impact of the withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), the freeze on USAID spending, and the implementation of the Global Gag Rule. These developments all have the same outcome – lifelong, generational impacts on people’s health and wellbeing. 

This impact is already being felt across the globe. From halting efforts to battle a deadly Marburg outbreak in Tanzania, to cutting off maternal care in Afghanistan, these decisions are undoing years of progress on global health equality, inflicting severe harm on people’s health and thrusting the world deeper into polycrisis. 

Action for Global Health’s combined expertise and global reach mean they are witnessing these impacts first-hand. They call on the UK Labour Party government to “map out an emergency strategy and response, leveraging their influence, diplomatic channels, funding, programmes, convening power and strategies, to ensure services are protected for those who need them”.

Other key implications include:

• Halting critical malaria prevention campaigns just before peak transmission season. In Kenya, this will mean 1.45 million people left unprotected. In Uganda, this will mean 3.2 million people at risk. In Ethiopia, 2.6 million people won’t receive bed nets. 
• Severely impairing the WHO’s ability to detect and respond to disease outbreaks, leaving the world more vulnerable to future pandemics.
• Threatening to disrupt entire sexual and reproductive health programmes and health systems that will undo years of progress in global health equity and the rights of women and girls. 

Katie Husselby, director of Action for Global Health, said:

In light of the US Government’s recent announcements, the threat to global health progress hangs in the balance. It is vital that the UK Government, in conjunction with global health civil society, outlines its response to these developments and mitigates their impact on those most affected – before it’s too late.

‘Deeply concerned’

Beth Schlachter, MSI’s senior director for US External Affairs, said

As one of the largest providers of life-saving contraception and abortion, MSI is deeply concerned about the impact that Trump’s wholesale assault will have on global reproductive health.

While the U.S. government has never funded abortion, it has supported international family planning and reproductive health efforts for 50 years and is by far the largest family planning donor worldwide, supplying 43% of funding in 2023

But the Trump administration has left us in no doubt that they want to decimate not only abortion care, but also the provision of contraception more broadly.

We are calling on everyone who believes in human rights and the far-reaching influence of this work to remain steadfast in your solidarity, remember why we do what we do and be ready to fight for all we believe in.

In the white heat of the chaos, it’s never been more important to stay focused on our mission and the job ahead. Together, we will continue to serve the people counting on us to find a way forward.

The UK must intervene over Trump’s plans

Elaine Green, Author of the Action for Global Health Stocktake Review, said:

President’s Trump’s decision to suspend all foreign aid and withdraw from the WHO is a devastating blow for global health.

These decisions are already disrupting services for millions of the most vulnerable people around the world – women and adolescent girls are seeing access to sexual and reproductive health services rapidly eroding, vaccines and prevention campaigns to protect children from deadly diseases such as measles and malaria are being stopped, and the supply of medical products and essential medicines to treat diseases such as HIV, neglected tropical diseases, and non-communicable diseases are being severely disrupted. 

The UK needs to urgently demonstrate what it can do to bridge the chasm of global health inequity that President Trump’s Executive Orders have opened up. We know the UK cannot do this all on its own, but it can lead the way in showing the urgency or investing in global health to protect and care for the most vulnerable populations around the world.

Featured image via the Canary