Invited on the program Décryptage on RFI – Radio France Internationale, our CEO, Dr. Serge Breysse, addressed the historic collapse in global health funding.
Between the dismantling of USAID at the start of Donald Trump’s second term and major cuts to European budgets, international health aid has fallen by 50% over the past five years, reaching its lowest level since 2009.
“These are people who will die from hunger, thirst, and minor illnesses for which simple treatments exist—because of political choices.”
Immediate and massive consequences
In 2024, U.S. aid still accounted for 50% of global humanitarian assistance. In 2025, less than 20% of the funding needed to respond to emergencies in crisis-affected countries is expected to be covered.
The consequences are already visible: tens of millions of people no longer have access to basic healthcare, particularly in fragile contexts where health systems were heavily dependent on external funding.
Alarming projections
According to modeling published by The Lancet Group, the current decline in funding could lead to 14 million additional deaths by 2030, including 4.5 million children.
“The entire system is being undermined,” warns Serge Breysse. Beyond the immediate humanitarian impact, the medium-term effects could be structural: setbacks in vaccination campaigns, interruptions in HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria treatment, and long-term weakening of health systems.
Investing in health is a strategic choice
Reducing global health budgets is not only a political decision—it is also an economic mistake. Investing in health is a driver of stability, development, and shared prosperity.
“If this is an economic choice, the calculation is wrong. Investing in health benefits all countries.”
In the face of these massive cuts, the urgency is clear: maintain—and strengthen—funding for global health to prevent avoidable human catastrophes.
🎧 Listen to the full interview on RFI – Radio France Internationale: https://rfi.my/2bZmYUl
