The USAID Shutdown: Stories From Colombia, Kenya, and Nepal

Editors' Note

On July 1, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) officially ended its foreign aid operations, its remaining programs absorbed by the U.S. Department of State. Former Presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama criticized the move publicly, while new research in the Lancet estimates where the decision could risk the most lives.

To lead this week's coverage, Columbia University's Thoai D. Ngo highlights on-the-ground reports from Colombia, Kenya, and Nepal, which respectively lost 82%, 46%, and 100% of their U.S. funding from USAID cuts. Ngo describes how thousands had already died due to the cessation of funds and that even a complete restoration would not reverse the damage.

Next, former USAID employee Lyudmila Nepomnyashchiy, along with coauthors from aid recipient countries, describes how the agency's demise has jeopardized access to safe blood, threatening the lives of mothers and children in many low- or middle-income countries.

As the world's populations continue to age, governments are working to improve the lives of older people, their families, and their communities. Authors led by AARP Vice President of International Peter Rundlet examine the rise of national aging plans to assess how countries are combating ageism, creating age-friendly environments, and ensuring access to long-term care.

Until next week!—Nsikan Akpan, Managing Editor, and Caroline Kantis, Associate Editor