There are dangerous pathogens left unsecured at labs across Africa. Inspections for diseases like mpox, Ebola, and other infections have been halted at airports and other checkpoints, allowing millions of unscreened animals to be shipped across borders.
Scientists are concerned that the pause on foreign aid by the Trump administration has crippled programs that prevent and control outbreaks worldwide, making people more vulnerable to dangerous pathogens.
Outbreaks that start overseas can quickly spread to the United States, as seen with the coronavirus originating in China. Diseases like polio and dengue in the U.S. are usually linked to international travel.
Dr. Githinji Gitahi of Amref Health Africa emphasizes the importance of keeping diseases under control for the benefit of American citizens.
Foreign aid cuts have put the world in a more perilous position, according to current and former officials from the United States Agency for International Development. The Democratic Republic of Congo is facing a severe mpox outbreak, while multiple hemorrhagic fever viruses are spreading in Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, and Sierra Leone.
… (content continues)