U.S. Cuts Global Malaria Aid, Leaving Health Groups in Crisis
A major shift in U.S. global health policy has left malaria-fighting organisations in crisis. Under the second Trump administration, the America First Global Health Strategy was introduced in September 2025, drastically cutting foreign aid. By July of that year, USAID had effectively shut down, with 85% of its programmes eliminated.
The new strategy focuses on preventing infectious diseases from reaching American shores. Its goals include cutting global malaria deaths and cases by 90% from 2015 levels by 2030. However, it also pushes malaria-endemic countries to fund their own elimination efforts rather than rely on U.S. support.
The impact was immediate. USAID, a key funder of malaria programmes, vanished almost entirely. This left groups like *Programa Inter-Religioso Contra a Malaria* (PIRCOM) in Mozambique—founded by the Catholic Church and other faith leaders—without critical resources. Bishop Dinis Matsolo of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa called the 'America First' approach confusing, given malaria's devastating toll in regions like sub-Saharan Africa. Malaria cases had already been rising before the cuts. In 2024, the World Health Organization reported 282 million infections across 80 countries—9 million more than the previous year. With USAID's withdrawal, progress stalled further, leaving local religious and health groups struggling to fill the gap.
The strategy's long-term effects remain uncertain. Without U.S. funding, malaria-endemic nations now face the challenge of financing their own prevention programmes. For faith-based coalitions like PIRCOM, the loss of support means fewer tools to combat a disease that still threatens over 100 countries worldwide.
