Tuberculosis Resurgent In Kenya, Globally Following US Aid Cuts

The New York Times (3/11, Nolen, Otieno) reports that “thousands of Kenyans, and hundreds of thousands of people worldwide,” with tuberculosis have “lost access to treatments and testing in the weeks since the Trump administration slashed foreign aid and withdrew funding for health programs around the globe.” Many patients “have grown significantly sicker” and are “spreading the disease, to others in their own families, communities and beyond.” Meanwhile, the system “of finding, diagnosing and treating tuberculosis – which kills more people worldwide than any other infectious disease – has collapsed in dozens of countries across Africa and Asia since President Trump ordered the aid freeze on Jan. 20.” Notably, the “main TB research effort, testing new diagnostics and therapies, has been terminated. The global procurement agency for TB medications lost its funds, then was told it might regain them, but still has not.”