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Trump’s Foreign Aid Freeze Leaves the Helpless Out in the Cold
Welcome to a Grave New World
I haven’t written a political essay for over two years, but my angry tears this morning demanded I speak out on current developments in the United States (US).
Trump’s freeze on federal funding is unconstitutional and has been put on hold by a federal judge until Monday, 5 February. I bet millions of Americans breathed again, although it’s a short-term reprieve.
On the international front, Trump’s freeze on foreign aid is unconscionable.
To leave millions of vulnerable people across the globe without access to treatment for HIV, TB, and malaria for 90 days is inhumane. It will be a death sentence for many.
“I never thought I’d wake up in the morning and be told that I’d be banned from going to work.”
This was how a Gauteng-based health worker reacted on Monday after receiving a “stop work order” from the HIV/Aids organisation where she works. She was instructed not to perform any duties with immediate effect. Not even telephonic support to patients due to come in that day, nor with state-employed health workers who would take up the slack.
