A Precarious Moment for Global Health

Over the past few decades, global health has been a story of progress. Investments in research, innovation and international cooperation have led to better medicines, stronger health systems and more equitable access to healthcare. But today, that progress is at risk.

The withdrawal of the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the freeze on USAID funding has sent shockwaves throughout the world. Programmes are being disrupted at every level – from national health systems to the most vulnerable patients who rely on them. At the same time, international development budgets are shrinking, including in Switzerland. The question is no longer whether these decisions will have consequences – it is how severe they will be.

At Swiss TPH, we are already seeing the impact. The USAID freeze has led to immediate funding losses for critical projects and partners, affecting some of the world’s most marginalized communities:

• Malaria research and control in Tanzania: Our long-standing partner, the Ifakara Health Institute (IHI), will lose a USD 17.9 million USAID grant, endangering progress towards malaria elimination.
• HIV treatment in Tanzania: In the Kilombero Valley, 4,500 HIV patients may soon lose access to life-saving antiretroviral treatment, risking a resurgence of infections and the development and spread of drug resistance.
• Health system support in Ukraine: Swiss TPH-led projects have been left without salaries for local staff due to USAID cuts. We are covering wages for three months, but this is not sustainable.

These are not abstract concerns – this is what a global health crisis looks like when the funding disappears. Across the world, essential health programmes are being scaled back or shut down. Millions of people who rely on HIV treatment, malaria prevention or neglected tropical disease (NTD) control are being left behind.

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