Trump's orders sow chaos in global public health

A recent flurry of executive orders and surprise actions by the Trump administration have roiled the international public health community, leaving healthcare workers scrambling and aid programs in peril. 

On January 20, President Donald Trump issued an executive order pausing U.S. foreign development assistance for 90 days to assess “programmatic efficiencies and consistency.” The ripple effects spread immediately. On January 24, the State Department put out a stop-work order halting foreign aid work. And on January 27, the Trump administration placed dozens of officials at the U.S. Agency for International Development on leave. 

USAID is a global health–focused agency that works with countries around the world on programs to improve maternal health, deliver vaccines and provide access to HIV treatment, among other efforts. One such program, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, has already suffered the fallout from Trump’s actions. The administration ordered organizations in other countries to stop giving out HIV drugs purchased with U.S. aid. And according to amfAR, the Foundation for AIDS Research, healthcare workers with PEPFAR have been instructed to stop all clinical services. ...