ISTANBUL, March 27 — The Trump administration is set to end United States (US) funding for Gavi, the global vaccine initiative, and scale back malaria efforts, according to documents obtained by The New York Times on Wednesday.
The report states that a 281-page spreadsheet from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), sent to Congress on Monday night, outlines the cuts to foreign aid programmes, Anadolu Ajansi reported.
The plan includes terminating over 5,000 programmes while continuing just under 900, with a sharp reduction in the overall budget.
Gavi, which provides vaccines to children in developing countries, will lose US$2.6 billion (RM11.52 billion) in support.
Experts warn this will result in 75 million children missing vaccinations over five years and 1.2 million deaths.
The US has been a major donor to Gavi, contributing 13 per cent of its budget. The cuts will also impact malaria control programmes in countries like Cameroon and Tanzania.
According to The New York Times, the administration has decided to continue grants for medications to treat HIV and tuberculosis, as well as food aid for countries affected by civil wars and natural disasters.
— Bernama
