by With just one day until the American Bureau for International Development sets almost all its foreign care providers on leave, some health experts sound the alarm about what it could mean at home.
Health clinics, clean drinking water and food aid for people in poverty are some of the many worldwide projects at USAID that will probably stop quickly.
The agency announced earlier this week on its website, almost all direct employees will be placed on leave from Friday at midnight, except essential employees. President Donald Trump’s government has criticized USAID for what it calls waste expenditure.
“The only thing you need is a person to get on a plane with drug -resistant tuberculosis, and that is very transferable and very difficult to treat,” said Dr. Joia Mukherjee, the chief medical officer of non -profit partners in health, who helps treat infectious diseases around the world.
Mukherjee said that her group receives about 10% of her financing from USAID and creates jobs for local people in countries like Haiti.
“Those hundreds of people are health workers in the community, are usually women, otherwise very poor, will lose their salary. That would lose their ability to support their children, pay for school costs, pay for food, “said Mukherjee.
Republican Senator Joni Ernst of Iowa said in an X post that “USAID dollars went into the bags of fat cats around the world” with Elon Musk who repost and answered, “where”.
However, a News4 analysis of data from the congress showed that USAID financing also helps American employees in the agricultural and shipping industry. In the tax year 2020, USAID bought $ 2.1 billion in food aid from American farmers.
“We are very in favor of it because it is a program that supports Kansas, mainly wheat farmers, but also grain Sorghum farmers,” said Nick Laandofsky, executive director of the Kansas Farmers Union.
Laartofsky said that his members already have to deal with increasing costs, the threat of increased rates and lower -selling prices for their goods.
“The balance is not currently sorting out for many farmers. They struggle financially and that is why National America is struggling. So it’s a problem, “he said.
The Trump administration also says that employees who are stationed all over the world have 30 days to return to American employees who live abroad can request an exemption to stay longer if they have a special circumstance, such as children who have to finish the school year.
The memo of the USAID website has not indicated which employees are considered essential.
Register for our free Deep-Dive newsletter, the 4front, to get striking news4 stories that are sent directly to your inbox. Subscribe here.
