President Trump issued several executive orders after taking office Monday including a move to withdraw from the World Health Organization and directing suspension of U.S foreign aid
By Binia Elizabeth
A South Sudanese health activist has raised concerns about President Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization.
President Trump issued several executive orders after taking office Monday including a move to withdraw from the World Health Organization and directing suspension of U.S foreign aid.
In an interview with The City Review, Peter Garang Ngor, health activist and Executive Director of the Network of AIDS and Health Service Organizations of South Sudan said the decision will hurt health services in South Sudan and other developing countries across the globe.
“If one looks at how much the U.S brings into the Organization in terms of supporting health services, it gives a significant amount to the global funds that support HIV AIDS, and Malaria,” he stated.
Garang unveiled that presently, the United States has a program called PEPFAR that brings in a significant amount of money to support the entire HIV AIDS program in South Sudan.
“So, the president giving a 90-day pause to stop giving a significant amount of funds to foreign countries will greatly impact South Sudan because if one looks at the country in terms of health, majority of the services come through donor funds,” Garang said.
The activist indicated that South Sudan’s budget for the health sector is very low as it mostly focuses on payments of salaries and advance costs.
“The 90-day pause of the United States from giving relief to the foreign countries, South Sudan inclusive. This means a lot to the current refugees in the country, internally displaced people, and the entire population,” he said.
The health expert highlighted that in the next 90 days, there will be difficulties in the delivery of the services to the beneficiaries.
It is not the first time President Trump planned to withdraw the U.S. from the World Health Organization. In 2020, he attempted to do so but was cut short after Joe Biden won the elections.
“It is known that W.H.O plays a vital role in preventing diseases, and pandemics and promoting public health. This withdrawal will negatively affect South Sudan because the country is still suffering from many diseases such as Cholera, Malaria to mention but a few,” he stated.
Garang called upon the government to take responsibility for funding the health sector, saying the nation’s fiscal year budget allocation has never met the needs of its citizens.
The government should invest in the country’s health sector to have a healthy and productive population that is useful to the nation.”
“The parliament and the minister of health should ensure that there is a budget allocation to the health sector to be significantly increased to 10 percent to meet the demand of the Abuja declaration,” he said.
However, the health activist assured the government to forget about any support from the Trump administration.
“It is known that W.H.O plays a vital role in preventing diseases, and pandemics and promoting public health. This withdrawal will negatively affect South Sudan,” said Peter Garang Ngor, a health activist in South Sudan.