Click here to sign the petition and urge Australia to protect health programs being threatened by devastating cuts introduced by the Trump administration. And former CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden just recently sounded the alarm in no uncertain terms. He warns that these cuts would bring about an avoidable, catastrophic loss of life, particularly in lower- and middle-income countries. As the United States withdraws from global health partnerships, experts urge Australia to take a leading role in mitigating the consequences of these cuts.
In 2020, his successor, former President Donald Trump, announced that he would withdraw the US from the WHO. Such a bold move earned SCORN’s ire and the ire of significant factions in global health governance. Alongside this decision, he proposed a more than 50% reduction in funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and eliminated approximately 2,400 positions within the agency. By now almost 700 of those jobs have been restored. The breadth of the cuts continues to leave scars on our public health infrastructure that may never heal.
The Trump administration has been on a warpath to defund and depopulate crucial health organizations. This consisted of deep cuts to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), as well as to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It sought to stop foreign aid completely starting on day one of a second term. Among their more extreme proposals was the dissolution of the US Agency for International Development (USAID). These actions combined to obstruct funding for critical CDC domestic health programs, thus drastically weakening America’s leadership in global health efforts.
As Dr. Frieden explained, these extreme measures reverse years of progress made in fighting diseases such as malaria and tuberculosis.
“Halving malaria and tuberculosis funding and cutting support to WHO undermines decades of progress and weakens our collective defense against future pandemics.” – Dr Tom Frieden
The US moved to withdraw funding from Gavi, an international alliance of public and private sectors working to distribute vaccines to the world’s poorest children. This one decision resulted in more than $1 billion in funding loss. The effects of these reductions would be devastating. After decades of decline, experts project that millions of children in low-income countries will develop tuberculosis and die within the next ten years.
As a result, the Australian government is now facing significant pressure to increase its influence over the global stage of health. Prof Allen Cheng brought home Australia’s unparalleled ability to make our own health decisions. He highlighted the country’s close cooperative work with international agencies beyond the United States.
“I’m less concerned about the impact on Australia than for other countries with less resilient health systems – the Ebola outbreak in DRC for example.” – Prof Allen Cheng
With the establishment of an Australian CDC set to launch in January, the country aims to provide independent, transparent, and evidence-based public health advice. This initiative arrives at a pivotal moment, when global health security is under attack amid unprecedented challenges driven by shifting US policy.
Dr. Frieden cautions that misinformation and political pressures have the potential to make the public health crises even worse. He emphasized that when unsafe misinformation wins out, dangerous decisions are made not based on science but ideology.
“Misinformation can put pressure on the agency to make decisions based on ideology instead of evidence.” – Dr Tom Frieden
The effects of reduced US funding could go well beyond short-term health effects. If Australia wishes to truly invest in health care, it must invest in equitable primary health care systems. These interlocking systems are necessary for our global resilience against future pandemics.
“The foundation of every resilient health system is primary health care; it’s the most cost-effective, efficient, and high-impact way to save lives.” – Department of Health, Disability and Ageing spokesperson
Strong disease surveillance and laboratory capacity play key roles in stopping outbreaks before they occur. Experts warn that this role—the role that has allowed the CDC to be the nation’s first responder in public health emergencies—should not be lost.
“There is often a small window to get control of outbreaks early, and the US CDC is often involved early.” – Prof Allen Cheng
Australia is preparing to establish its new public health agency. Simultaneously, it should better engage to address the disinformation challenges surrounding it and pursue more robust coordination with US health agencies.
“While public health workers locally and from other countries hopefully will respond effectively, it doesn’t help if the CDC isn’t able to help.” – Dr Tom Frieden