Alliance statement on the U.S Stop Work Orders

The Australian Global Health Alliance is deeply concerned about the abrupt 90-day pause on United States (U.S) foreign aid imposed by the Trump Administration on 27 January 2025. Stirring widespread concern and confusion within global health communities, the stop work orders have already exerted considerable strain on global efforts to combat health-related challenges. The implications on long standing global health programmes, and the communities they serve are far reaching internationally, in the United States and with partners in Australia and the region.

Since late January, the President has pulled the U.S out of the World Health Organization [1] (WHO) and the Paris Climate Agreement [2]. In the U.S Trump has terminated diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives [3], and excluded gender and sexual identities beyond biological sex. [4] In addition, the Trump Administration has blocked access of gender-related data [5], and removal of LGBTIQ+ references [6] from federal health agencies. The U.S has long held a position as the leading and most influential donor in global health. The abrupt termination of funding and employment will have the most impact on those with the least power in the global health system.

The Australian global health community is particularly concerned about the global impact of the aid freeze on health systems and vulnerable communities in need of life-saving care. Among the programs impacted is the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has saved more than 26 million lives. [7] The U.S administration within days has dismantled USAID, the United States’ principal agency for development assistance founded in 1961. As a key player in global health, USAID has been instrumental in expanding immunisation efforts, strengthening maternal and child healthcare, responding to threats to health security, mental health promotion and delivering a wide range of critical, life-saving interventions. Of the USAID workforce of over 13,000 people globally, less than 300 [8] people are being kept on duty from the 7^th of February 2025. This is in addition to the many thousands of people affected from partner organisations around the world. In Bangladesh alone, the world leading health research institute supported by USAID, The International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), has laid off over 1000 staff.[9]

The exchange of key data, particularly during emerging crises and pandemics is a basic tenet of global public health – and non-negotiable to protect health for all and future health information systems everywhere.

The Alliance is also concerned about the level of fear and confusion stoked among the LGBTIQ+ and women’s health communities domestically in the U.S and globally, both of which bear the burden of historical discriminatory laws and policies preventing either access to care or reproductive rights. This goes against decades of health evidence-based policy and research. Programmes do not exist in a vacuum. Global health equity is about committing to evidence-based approaches, shaping effective policies, and actively addressing disparities by understanding the determinants of health. Partnerships are also part of global health diplomacy and impact. The Alliance members take pride in its rich heritage of diverse membership and the impactful long and hard work our members undertake both regionally and globally to foster genuine partnerships and equal exchanges.

The Australian government and international community must be unwavering in its global health diplomacy through this unsettling period for international development assistance by forging even stronger relationships with our members, regional partners and multilateral institutions such as Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, and WHO all of whom must be fully funded to work even harder now. We support open and collaborative networks that strengthen health systems in our region and globally, welcoming leadership from diverse perspectives to protect the health rights of all of us – not just some of us. The COVID pandemic demonstrated so clearly how interconnected countries of the world are. The abrupt end of the US’s leading role in funding global health is the clarion call for an even stronger and healthy region working together. The Alliance stands in solidarity with our American health colleagues, the global health community and domestic communities all impacted by the disruption.

 

 

 

 

[1] https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/withdrawing-the-united-states-from-the-worldhealth-organization/#:~:text=The%20United%20States%20noticed%20its,to%20demonstrate%20independence%20from%20the

[2] https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/putting-america-first-in-international-environmental-agreements/

[3] https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-radical-and-wasteful-government-dei-programs-and-preferencing/

[4] https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/defending-women-from-gender-ideology-extremism-and-restoring-biological-truth-to-the-federal-government/

[5] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/31/health/trump-cdc-dei-gender.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare&fbclid=IwY2xjawINNpJleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHbzNNy0wxTydBZj4FTaq4k0r5u2RPI7eNZJ-WKYBbS4fliI3V-S7HnzYYw_aem_dk1akbncZ5GS9fgzibkcoQ

[6] https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2025/01/31/nx-s1-5282274/trump-administration-purges-health-websites

[7] https://www.who.int/news/item/28-01-2025-who-statement-on-potential-global-threat-to-people-living-with-hiv

[8] https://www.reuters.com/world/us/trump-administration-keeping-only-294-usaid-staff-out-over-10000-globally-2025-02-06/

[9] https://today.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/last-page/over-1000-icddrb-staffers-laid-off-over-usaid-fund-cut-1738346965