Microsoft Corporation MSFT co-founder Bill Gates has once again expressed his concerns about the impact of continued U.S. cuts to global health aid, warning that these reductions could lead to an additional 8 million child deaths by 2040, citing a study.
What Happened: Sharing his Gates notes on X, formerly Twitter, Gates said he has worked in global health for over 25 years. “At this point, I know as much about improving health in poor countries as I do about software.”
He then highlighted concerns about the consequences of slashed funding for health initiatives. “So when the United States and other governments suddenly cut their aid budgets the way they’ve been doing, I know for a fact that more children will die.”
He cited a Lancet study examining the long-term effects of reduced U.S. foreign aid projects that by 2040, an additional 8 million children could die before reaching age five.
Gates noted that the cuts are already being felt, with critical programs like tuberculosis detection and malaria prevention stalling and life-saving medication being delayed.
He also shared personal stories from his recent visits to Nigeria and Ethiopia, where he witnessed firsthand how the cuts to U.S. aid have disrupted local healthcare systems.
Despite these setbacks, Gates remains optimistic. “It's not too late to change course,” he said on Thursday, urging Congress to restore funding to vital programs like PEPFAR (the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) and the Global Fund.
Earlier this month, Gates, Chair of the Gates Foundation, pledged to direct most of the foundation's planned $200 billion investment over the next 20 years toward Africa.
He has also criticized Tesla Inc. TSLA CEO Elon Musk and Trump for backing abrupt cuts to USAID funding, warning that such actions could lead to the expiration of vital food and medicines and trigger a resurgence of diseases like measles, HIV and polio, particularly harming the world's poorest children.
Why It's Important: On Thursday, The Guardian reported that experts and former officials warn that the Donald Trump administration's proposed 2026 budget, which slashes nearly $2.7 billion—or 37%—from the National Cancer Institute, could lead to more patient deaths by severely undermining cancer research efforts.
Last month, House Republicans proposed at least $880 billion in Medicaid reductions as the primary cost-saving measure to support Trump's $4.5 trillion tax break extension.
A May analysis by the Congressional Budget Office found that Republican proposals to cut Medicaid funding—aimed at supporting President Trump's tax and policy agenda—could lead to 2.3 to 8.6 million Americans losing coverage, with millions left uninsured by 2034 under various cost-saving scenarios.
Photo courtesy: Alexandros Michailidis / Shutterstock.com
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