“We asked about what happened”: How Malawi lost health care in the United States to cut off Malawi
A Blue, Burgundy and white engraved cover hiding the flatulence of the Joanna Panda belly. In eight months of pregnancy, it had only three of the previous dates of childbirth. It is unlikely to be attended by the last three as well, as it still has to save 3000 KWACHA (1.28 pounds) for a bike to take it Six miles on the dirt routes to the nearest health center when you enter labor.
In remote villages in Malawi, pregnant women such as Panda, who is 22 years old, struggles with one child after being lost for the first time after birth, to obtain the medical care they need. In January, US aid discounts suddenly ended a rural health care program that began to reduce the number of women who died in birth.
The Momentum Tikweze omoyo, a 28 million dollar program, was supposed to continue to reduce maternal and infants mortality rates in five Malawi County 28, until August 2027. It is just one of the losses of US President Donald Trump to suspend foreign aid a few hours later in January in January. In July, Congress approved $ 9 billion of discounts for help and public broadcasting. Last week, Trump said he would not spend $ 4.9 billion as already approved by Congress.
Kafulaatira, where Panda lives, is a scattered village of clay and straw, which includes approximately 1,000 people in the Selma area, east of the capital, Lilongoy. There is no water or electricity, and a bridge has been washed through the sharp banking river that divides it from the nearest health center in December 2024.
It was a mobile clinic used every month or two for society, providing a special space for women to obtain a cervical examination and other types of cancer, HIV test, treatment, and vaccines for children. It also provided prenatal and family planning services, including contraceptives.
“The awareness clinics were helping a lot, because we could access the services here in the village,” says Molirani Gerrard through a translator. “Since last year, we have been waiting for the team to come, so we were wondering what happened.” One of the villagers did not tell why health care was cut off.
Gerard says she was fine, because she had a three -year -old birth control cultivated, but others were not very lucky. “It is a challenge, because this led to unintended pregnancy,” says the 25 -year -old, referring to her friend Panda, sitting in the shadow with other mothers, and children playing around them.
Juliet Canda, a 31 -year -old mother, was receiving birth control every two months. As she says, she saves up to 10,000 kochs on a trip and forth 25 miles to another health center. “I look forward to getting [contraceptive] Sprinkle, taking into account the distances that I travel to to reach services. “
Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. In 2024, the non -coastal African Southern Africa had an individual’s income of only $ 508, According to the World Bank. It is incredibly subject to the climate crisis: 80 % of the population Work in agriculture It has been beaten by repeated hurricanes and dehydration in recent years. The country, which includes about 22 million people, relies heavily on aid.
The aid from the United States, both grants and low interest loans, equivalent to 2 % of the country’s gross domestic product in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund. This compares an average of 0.5 % across sub -Saharan Africa.
In 2023, the United States represents a quarter of all aid sent to Malawi, according to International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). In the previous year, the Global Development Center found the American health spending It was more than twice the government of Malawi.
A US State Department spokesman said: “The United States government supports life -saving assistance in Malawi, including about $ 160 million to support efforts to treat HIV, tuberculosis, malaria and other critical health risks,” said a US State Department spokesman.
“America is still the most generous nation in the world. It is necessary to remember that the American taxpayer was never supposed to bear the full burden of caring for every person on the face of the earth – whether it is with food, medicine or otherwise.”
Malawi’s economy was already in the state of prefix before US aid discounts. Over the past three years, The inflation was above 20 %The economy has grown The slower of the populationThe scarcity of foreign exchange led to a lack of fuel, fertilizers and medicine. and IFPRI study In April, it was estimated that US aid would decrease by 59 % in 2025, leading to a 1 % decrease in Malawi GDP.
The government has few means to compensate for the deficiency. The financial deficit of Malawi (the gap between what the government and its revenues spent) was 10.1 % in the year until March 31. It is also exposed to extensive political pressure, with the presidential and parliamentary elections on September 16.
“In fact Malawi’s health care financing is the government’s duty, but … the government does not have resources.
“The financing discounts should have been” a transitional process “, adding:” We have begun to reap the benefits of investment … ending the American Agency for International Development [funds] … will definitely lead to more deaths of pregnant women and patients, as well as newborns. “
Between January 2022 and December 2024, maternal mortality rates in clinics and hospitals decreased in three of the five regions covered by the project, according to the data provided by NYASULU. More children were vaccinated, treatment with malaria and nutrition was monitored. More women have received family planning and prenatal care services in three width Teenage load fell.
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In the Salima area, awareness clinics were held in 87 sites surrounding seven health centers, reaching between three to 10 societies every day of the week. Vehicles and employees were provided by the Ministry of Health, with lunch for fuel and employees by the United States Agency for International Development.
At the Makion Health Center, a small city from the market, about 34 miles from the province’s capital, the evidence of breastfeeding was described on the wall: “Usaid: from the American people”.
Employees there are pregnant women who suffer from prenatal dates at a later time or nothing at all, a decrease in cervical cancer offers and two women between the ages of 18 and 20 due to unsafe abortions because they live 17 miles from the clinic (they are fine now, the employees say).
“It has increased the burden of work in [health] “The facilities are, so they are poor quality for the services that are provided,” says Samuel Chawaka, Director of the Micion Center for Health. We fail to provide services in their places. “
Even in the cities of Malawi, the quality of health care decreases. In Lilongwe, the United States previously funded the training of health workers to find tuberculosis issues. Thoms Chieda, TB coordinator in the province, says there was a decrease in the number of cases discovered and referred for treatment.
He says: “If people are not diagnosed early enough, it will be difficult for them to heal … and drug -resistant tuberculosis can flourish.” “We have taken some steps in the battle of tuberculosis in the region, but because of this, I think we might lose the battle.”
Maclean Nkhoma, the city’s fortification coordinator, said before American aid discounts, 11,000 children have been fortified every month. Now, the infant immunization rate has decreased to between 8000 and 9000, and the infant immunization rate has decreased from 98 % to 85 %, he says.
“they [the US] They supported us; They should continue. Because otherwise, what happens in Malawi or in Africa, such as outbreaks, will also affect this, “Nakhuma says:” If Africa is protected, then this means that the whole world is protected. “