Officials expose alarming changes by little-known government agency: 'This will cost millions of lives'

Cuts to federal agencies by the newly created Department of Government Efficiency are not only igniting political turmoil in the United States but also creating major global humanitarian challenges, experts are saying.

What's happening?

The United States Agency for International Development — often shortened as USAID — has been one of DOGE's main targets. USAID was created in 1961 during John F. Kennedy Jr.'s presidency to counter Soviet influence during the Cold War. Providing food and financial assistance to low- and middle-income nations has long been considered a cornerstone of American diplomacy.

The cuts to USAID have been abrupt and devastating to the agency, as all American foreign aid was temporarily halted. According to the Associated Press, the administration made plans at the end of February to eliminate around 1,600 U.S.-based positions while thousands of others worldwide were placed on leave. Around "600 mostly U.S.-based staffers" appear to have been retained for now. Meanwhile, thousands of people working with implementing partners funded by USAID have also experienced job loss, per the Guardian.

As CBS News detailed, $500 million of food aid was left to rot in ports and warehouses. Much of that waste may end up in landfills.

Matthew Kavanagh, director of the Georgetown University Center for Global Health Policy and Politics, told the New York Times: "Unless reversed, this will cost millions of lives, by the government's own accounting."

Why are USAID cuts so concerning?

The Times shared a memo from Nicholas Enrich, an administrator at USAID who has reportedly since been placed on leave, which outlined the extent of the potential humanitarian consequences, including up to 18 million new cases of malaria annually, 200,000 children paralyzed by polio per year, widespread malnutrition, and the increased spread of infectious diseases. 

Particularly devastating is that extreme weather caused by increasing global temperatures will exacerbate these consequences in low- and middle-income countries. Drier hot seasons and wetter rainy seasons are the perfect conditions for another pandemic as well as for interruptions in access to care.

"Above all, climate change affects the distribution, the abundance and the spread of vectors," Dr. Tim Endy told the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations in 2023. 

Worsening temperature and weather conditions could force bats, mosquitoes, rats, and other animals out of their locales, spreading diseases like Lassa fever or the Nipah virus to populations without natural immunity. 

According to Wired, DOGE's cuts also affect billions of dollars earmarked to address the effects of rising global temperatures. "USAID's climate-related funding helps low-income countries build renewable energy and adapt to worsening natural disasters, as well as conserve carbon sinks and sensitive ecosystems," Wired reported.

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What's being done about USAID cuts?

The cuts are being challenged in court, and on March 5, the Supreme Court rejected a bid to freeze $2 billion in aid. 

DOGE's shaky legal ground could result in the courts reversing many of its actions. However, without enforcement, the rulings may mean little. 

In the meantime, many payments to support these programs have reportedly not been received in full, even though the funding was already approved by Congress. Though some payments have recently resumed per court order, these delays together with the cancellation of 83% of USAID contracts could ultimately result in the closure of some of the nonprofit partners that have been implementing food, health, and climate projects globally.

It may seem daunting, but local and individual acts can still make a difference. Even for those who support much of the governmental cost-cutting measures, some cuts may not align with beliefs. Contacting elected officials is easy with the right tools. Politicians, above all, should serve the public, and they should respond to public sentiment.

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