The recent executive orders from the Trump administration include cutting critical foreign aid, freezing essential funding, undermining DEI initiatives, and generating chaos and disruption. These decisions obstruct the lifesaving work health leaders are doing worldwide and harm the communities who rely on them.
Some of the terrible impacts already include:
- Hundreds of dedicated, talented global and public health professionals are out of work—researchers, data analysts, communicators, and many others, now not able to bring their expertise to keeping us all safer and healthier behind the scenes.
- Essential supply chains and services are disrupted—thousands of people won’t get necessary healthcare and critical medicines and supplies like blood, oxygen, and contraceptives.
- Efforts to develop more inclusive and equitable interventions are stymied—which means marginalized populations that are disproportionately impacted by health inequities and least represented in health leadership are being further harmed and left out.
To be clear, these are fierce attacks on health as a human right. GHC remains steadfast in our belief that everyone deserves quality, dignified care. We are committed to supporting and championing diverse leaders who are redefining what’s possible when bold leadership meets compassion and conviction. We stand with our broader global community, including all impacted and anguished by these developments. And we are also working towards a future where equity-driven, community-based leaders are at the helm of sustainable, strong health systems that don’t depend on foreign aid and aren’t susceptible to political whims.