“How Foreign Aid Cuts Are Setting the Stage for Disease Outbreaks (Ebola)”
By Apoorva Mandavilli
“Dangerous pathogens left unsecured at labs across Africa. Halted inspections for mpox, Ebola and other infections at airports and other checkpoints. Millions of unscreened animals shipped across borders.
The Trump administration’s pause on foreign aid has hobbled programs that prevent and snuff out outbreaks around the world, scientists say, leaving people everywhere more vulnerable to threatening viruses and bacteria.”
“The timing is dire: The Democratic Republic of Congo is experiencing the deadliest mpox outbreak in history, with cases exploding in a dozen other African countries.
The United States is home to a worsening bird flu crisis. Multiple hemorrhagic fever viruses are smoldering: Ebola in Uganda, Marburg in Tanzania, and Lassa in Nigeria and Sierra Leone.”
to read the full article go to
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/health/usaid-funding-disease-outbreaks.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare
“How Uganda is tackling the Ebola-like Sudan virus”
By John Agaba
“When samples tested positive for Sudan virus disease (SVD) in Uganda’s capital, Kampala, on 30 January, Dr Jane Ruth Aceng, the country’s Minister of Health, knew they needed a robust plan. The same deadly epidemic disease had killed 55 people and disrupted business and health systems in a previous outbreak in the east African country in 2022. Moreover, the virus, which belongs to the Ebola-disease causing Orthoebolaviruses, didn’t have an approved vaccine or treatment.
But after helming the battles against eight similar outbreaks since 2000, Aceng also had a pretty good idea of where to start. Prioritise contact tracing, infection control and prevention as well as treatment of confirmed cases – interventions that had yielded the most results in previous outbreaks — and they would stand a chance.”
to read the full article go to
https://www.gavi.org/vaccineswork/how-uganda-tackling-ebola-sudan-virus
“Ebola surveillance intensified in Fort Portal as suspected cases rise to six”
https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/ebola-surveillance-intensified-in-fort-portal–4955412
“Uganda’s 8th Sudan Ebola Outbreak Confirms 29% Case Fatality Ratio — Vax-Before-Travel”
https://www.vax-before-travel.com/2025/03/08/ugandas-8th-sudan-ebola-outbreak-confirms-29-case-fatality-ratio
“Ebola cases in Uganda rise to 14 as new cluster emerges, posing a challenge to health workers”
https://apnews.com/article/uganda-ebola-outbreak-14-cases-ab8a339eb2c0d482016b686c075b70ac
“Africa Received Billions in U.S. Aid. Here’s What It Will Lose.”
“In 2024, $12.7 billion of $41 billion in American foreign assistance went straight to sub-Saharan Africa, and billions more went to global programs — including health and climate initiatives — for which Africa was the main beneficiary.
Practically all of that aid is set to disappear in the wake of President Trump’s decision to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development. The cuts are expected to undo decades of efforts to save lives, pull people out of poverty, combat terrorism and promote human rights in Africa, the world’s youngest, fastest-growing continent.”
to read the full article go to
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/08/world/africa/africa-usaid-funds.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare#:~:text=Africa%20Received%20Billions,fastest%2Dgrowing%20continent.
“As Ebola Spreads in Uganda, Trump Aid Freeze Hinders Effort to Contain It, U.S. Officials Fear”
By Abdi Latif Dahir and Stephanie Nolen
“During the meeting Wednesday, American officials said that the Ugandan government also lacked sufficient laboratory supplies, diagnostic equipment and protective gear for medical workers and people tracing contacts. The termination of grants from the U.S. Agency for International Development was impeding the ability to procure those supplies, one official said. The meeting, conducted by video, was attended by representatives from the State Department, U.S.A.I.D., the Defense Department, the U.S. Embassy in Uganda and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”
to read the full article go to
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/06/health/ebola-uganda-usaid.html
“Musk says work to stop Ebola was accidentally cut but restored. Experts raise doubts”
By Gabrielle Emanuel
“Speaking at President Trump’s cabinet meeting on Wednesday, Elon Musk spoke bluntly about his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).
“We will make mistakes. We won’t be perfect,” he said. “When we make mistakes, we’ll fix it very quickly. So, for example, with USAID, one of the things we accidentally canceled very briefly was Ebola prevention.”
USAID is the U.S. Agency for International Development, which has largely been dismantled by the Trump administration.
“We restored the Ebola prevention immediately — and there was no interruption,” Musk continued.”
to read the full story go to
https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/02/27/g-s1-50929/elon-musk-ebola-usaid