At least eight people with anger in South Sudan-five of them children-died during a three-hour walk in search of medical treatment after cuts in American aid forced the closing of local health services, British charity said Save the Children on Wednesday (9).
The deaths, which occurred last month, are among the first to be directly attributed to the cuts imposed by US President Donald Trump after taking office on January 20.
The US government said it froze the help to verify that the subsidies were aligned with Trump’s “America First” agenda.
Experts have warned that cuts – including cancellation of more than 90% of USAID contracts – can cost millions of lives in the coming years due to malnutrition, AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases.
The US State Department did not immediately respond to a commentary request.
Immediate impacts on South Sudan
Save The Children supported 27 health facilities in the state of Jonglei, east of South Sudan, until the beginning of this year, when American courts forced seven to close completely and 20 partially, the organization said in a statement.
Washington -funded transportation services to take people to the hospital in the main local city were also interrupted for lack of funds, which forced the eight people to walk in a heat of almost 40 ° C to seek treatment at the nearest health unit, the organization reported.
Three of the children were under 5, said Christopher Nyamandi, director of Save The Children in South Sudan.
In addition to US cuts, more gradual reductions from other donors undermine the humanitarian response in the country.
The organization expects to invest $ 30 million in the country in 2025, below $ 50 million last year, pointed out Nyamandi.
More than a third of the approximately 12 million inhabitants of South Sudan have been displaced by natural conflicts or disasters, and the United Nations claim that the country may be on the verge of a new civil war after the combes began in February in the northeast of the country.
An outbreak of cholera was declared last October. More than 22,000 cases were recorded until last month, causing hundreds of deaths, according to the World Health Organization.
This content was originally published in Cholera patients in South Sudan died without help after US cuts on CNN Brazil.
Source: CNN Brasil
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