Colombia is assessing the devastating impact of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake that struck the country's western region. The death toll has risen to 281, with hundreds still missing and thousands injured. Nearly 45,000 families have reportedly been affected, while rescue teams continue searching collapsed buildings and remote areas for survivors. International assistance is also arriving as authorities work to provide food, medical aid and other essential supplies.

Colombia 7.4 Magnitude Earthquake: Death Toll Hits 281 | 379 Still Missing as Rescue Ops Intensify

Pakistan continues to battle flash floods caused due to incessant rainfall this monsoon season. The water rapids have caused massive destruction reportedly leaving one third of Pakistan under water as of now. The satellite images show the extent of the damage caused by torrential rain and floods.

WION Climate Tracker | Deluge in Pakistan affects over 33 million people

Thousands of people were stranded in Pakistan on Monday as a result of widespread flooding brought on by the "monster monsoons" that have killed more than 1,000 people this summer. The military and volunteers are frantically attempting to evacuate them, and international aid has finally started pouring in.&nbsp;With the arrival of cargo planes bearing tents, food, and other everyday necessities&nbsp;from Turkey and the United Arab Emirates into Islamabad, the international rush to help the impoverished country is underway. The National Disaster Management Authority has been sending trucks to various regions of the nation with tents, food, and water to areas severely hit by the floods.

After officials requested assistance from other countries, they were one of the countries that promised to assist Pakistan in resolving the problem.

So far, 33 million Pakistanis have been impacted, nearly 1 million homes have been damaged, and at least 1,061 people have been killed as a result of the unusually severe monsoon rains that caused flash floods throughout the nation.

The destruction this year, according to Pakistani authorities, is worse than that of 2010, when floods claimed 1,700 lives. The country's military head, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, stated on Sunday that the recovery process could take years.

Also read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/pak-journalist-booked-for-misquoting-imran-khan-over-blasphemous-remarks-511047">&nbsp;Pak journalist booked for misquoting Imran Khan over 'blasphemous' remarks</a>

In a statement last week, the United Nations announced that it had set aside $3 million for U.N. relief organizations and their partners in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/sports/afridi-claims-no-one-in-team-india-likes-gautam-gambhir-twitterati-unimpressed-with-harbhajans-reaction-511075">Pakistan</a> to respond to the floods. This money will be used for services in flood-affected areas related to health, nutrition, food security, water, and sanitation, with a focus on the most vulnerable.

Scientists and Senator Sherry Rehman of Pakistan, who also serves as that nation's climate minister, claim that this year's heavy rains in Pakistan were mostly brought on by climate change, which also resulted in forest fires.

However, some claim that <a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/conjectural-allegations-pakistan-denies-claims-that-us-used-its-airspace-to-kill-al-qaeda-leader-511072">Pakistan's government</a> has no desire to construct new dams and water reservoirs.

All four of the nation's provinces have been impacted by the exceptional monsoon season. Rescue efforts are challenging since more than 150 bridges have been devastated by floods, and many highways have been washed away.

(With inputs from agencies)

Also WATCH |&nbsp;Floods and incessant rainfall wreak havoc in Pakistan; over 1000 dead, 50 million displaced

<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/floods-and-incessant-rainfall-wreak-havoc-in-pakistan-over-1000-dead-50-million-displaced-511003/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe>

Thousands of people were stranded in Pakistan on Monday as a result of widespread flooding brought on by the "monster monsoons" that have killed more than 1,000 people this summer.

Thousands of people were stranded in Pakistan on Monday as a result of widespread flooding brought on by the "monster monsoons" that have killed more than 1,000 people this summer. The military and volunteers are frantically attempting to evacuate them, and international aid has finally started pouring in. With the arrival of cargo planes bearing tents, food, and other everyday necessities from Turkey and the United Arab Emirates into Islamabad, the international rush to help the impoverished country is underway. The National Disaster Management Authority has been sending trucks to various regions of the nation with tents, food, and water to areas severely hit by the floods. After officials requested assistance from other countries, they were one of the countries that promised to assist Pakistan in resolving the problem. So far, 33 million Pakistanis have been impacted, nearly 1 million homes have been damaged, and at least 1,061 people have been killed as a result of the unusually severe monsoon rains that caused flash floods throughout the nation. The destruction this year, according to Pakistani authorities, is worse than that of 2010, when floods claimed 1,700 lives. The country's military head, Gen. Qamar Javed Bajwa, stated on Sunday that the recovery process could take years. Also read | Pak journalist booked for misquoting Imran Khan over 'blasphemous' remarks In a statement last week, the United Nations announced that it had set aside $3 million for U.N. relief organizations and their partners in Pakistan to respond to the floods. This money will be used for services in flood-affected areas related to health, nutrition, food security, water, and sanitation, with a focus on the most vulnerable. Scientists and Senator Sherry Rehman of Pakistan, who also serves as that nation's climate minister, claim that this year's heavy rains in Pakistan were mostly brought on by climate change, which also resulted in forest fires. However, some claim that Pakistan's government has no desire to construct new dams and water reservoirs. All four of the nation's provinces have been impacted by the exceptional monsoon season. Rescue efforts are challenging since more than 150 bridges have been devastated by floods, and many highways have been washed away. (With inputs from agencies) Also WATCH | Floods and incessant rainfall wreak havoc in Pakistan; over 1000 dead, 50 million displaced

International aid reaches flood-stricken Pakistan; death toll crosses 1000-mark

Taliban rulers are now seeking help from world powers to revive the sinking economy. Taliban co-founder said that his govt will not interfere in other countries' internal affairs and also urged international charities to continue offering aid to the war ravaged nation.

Taliban rulers seek help from world powers to revive sinking economy

Russia unveiled a $72 billion recovery plan for its economy badly hammered by the coronavirus pandemic, vowing to boost employment and incomes in the country where cases continue to mount.&nbsp; 
 
The economy is set for a sharp contraction this year, and President Vladimir Putin is eager to get growth back on track in a bid to boost approval ratings.&nbsp; 
 
Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin unveiled a raft of measures Tuesday worth $72 billion aimed at reviving the sputtering economy after weeks of lockdowns that have kept much of the population home from work and shut key industries.&nbsp;

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/blood-sucking-mutant-ticks-storm-russia-hospitals-already-overburdened-by-coronavirus-feel-the-sting-302682" hreflang="en">'Blood-sucking' mutant ticks storm Russia: Hospitals already overburdened by coronavirus feel the sting</a> 
 
Aimed at boosting employment, incomes and economic growth, the programme "contains over 500 measures, its cost over two years will be about five trillion rubles," Mishustin told Putin in a televised meeting. 
 
Putin described the plan as a "foundation" for repairing the economy and implementing "long-term structural change". 
 
"It is a matter of crucial importance for us to solve today's acute problems, as well as ensure confident movement forward in the long-term," he said. 
 
Putin said the epidemic had "seriously impacted all spheres of life" and added that he expected to launch the recovery plan next month. 
 
The prime minister said the plan would be rolled out over three separate stages. 
 
Stage one would stabilise the economy and will be delivered in the current quarter. The next steps aimed to rebuild the economy and put it on a "trajectory for stable economic growth," the prime minister added.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="wionews.com/world/covid-19-russia-death-toll-crosses-5000-as-lockdown-eases-302617" hreflang="en">COVID-19: Russia death toll crosses 5,000 as lockdown eases</a> 
 
Russia has introduced targeted tax cuts and provided some emergency aid for families and people newly unemployed since introducing the lockdown at the end of March. 
 
Yet observers have said that Russia's rescue package falls short of aid provided to populations by other countries with similar economies.

Companies like 'wildflowers' 
Russia has the third highest number of coronavirus cases globally, with more than 423,000 infections, and its death toll topped 5,000 on Tuesday.&nbsp; 
 
Under strict lockdown measures imposed in March, large swathes of the economy were inactive for weeks, with some regions only recently beginning to ease anti-virus measures. 
 
Industries were delivered a double blow as Putin ordered companies to stop work activities but continue paying salaries. 
 
The lockdown compounded existing problems for the Russian economy, ranging from effects of sanctions following the 2014 Crimea annexation, to the oil price crash this year. 
 
The government's forecast is that the economy will shrink by 9.5 percent in the second quarter and up to six percent for the current year. 
 
Some said the newly unveiled plan would not be enough to aid struggling businesses.&nbsp; 
 
It would only offer "quite modest" support and looks like a symbolic project introduced while the government waits for second quarter data, said Sergei Khestanov, an economist at the Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. 
 
The government is unlikely to blanket aid across the sectors, and instead only help select companies deemed to be crucial, he added. 
 
The remaining companies will be treated like "wildflowers" he told AFP, explaining that "if they are there, that's nice, but if they die, it's okay, since new ones will grow". 
 
A draft of the plan cited by TASS news agency included measures ranging from creating a national reserve of medication to developing domestic tourism and spending one trillion rubles on infrastructural projects. 
 
Labour Minister Anton Kotyakov said this week that over two million people in the country were registered as unemployed. 
 
Analysts at the Boston Consulting Group last week predicted unemployment could triple from the pre-crisis figure of 4.6 percent, based on its projections for the worst-case scenario.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Russia unveiled a $72 billion recovery plan for its economy badly hammered by the coronavirus pandemic, vowing to boost employment and incomes in the country where cases continue to mount.

Russia unveiled a $72 billion recovery plan for its economy badly hammered by the coronavirus pandemic, vowing to boost employment and incomes in the country where cases continue to mount. The economy is set for a sharp contraction this year, and President Vladimir Putin is eager to get growth back on track in a bid to boost approval ratings. Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin unveiled a raft of measures Tuesday worth $72 billion aimed at reviving the sputtering economy after weeks of lockdowns that have kept much of the population home from work and shut key industries. Also read: 'Blood-sucking' mutant ticks storm Russia: Hospitals already overburdened by coronavirus feel the sting Aimed at boosting employment, incomes and economic growth, the programme "contains over 500 measures, its cost over two years will be about five trillion rubles," Mishustin told Putin in a televised meeting. Putin described the plan as a "foundation" for repairing the economy and implementing "long-term structural change". "It is a matter of crucial importance for us to solve today's acute problems, as well as ensure confident movement forward in the long-term," he said. Putin said the epidemic had "seriously impacted all spheres of life" and added that he expected to launch the recovery plan next month. The prime minister said the plan would be rolled out over three separate stages. Stage one would stabilise the economy and will be delivered in the current quarter. The next steps aimed to rebuild the economy and put it on a "trajectory for stable economic growth," the prime minister added. Also read: COVID-19: Russia death toll crosses 5,000 as lockdown eases Russia has introduced targeted tax cuts and provided some emergency aid for families and people newly unemployed since introducing the lockdown at the end of March. Yet observers have said that Russia's rescue package falls short of aid provided to populations by other countries with similar economies. Companies like 'wildflowers' Russia has the third highest number of coronavirus cases globally, with more than 423,000 infections, and its death toll topped 5,000 on Tuesday. Under strict lockdown measures imposed in March, large swathes of the economy were inactive for weeks, with some regions only recently beginning to ease anti-virus measures. Industries were delivered a double blow as Putin ordered companies to stop work activities but continue paying salaries. The lockdown compounded existing problems for the Russian economy, ranging from effects of sanctions following the 2014 Crimea annexation, to the oil price crash this year. The government's forecast is that the economy will shrink by 9.5 percent in the second quarter and up to six percent for the current year. Some said the newly unveiled plan would not be enough to aid struggling businesses. It would only offer "quite modest" support and looks like a symbolic project introduced while the government waits for second quarter data, said Sergei Khestanov, an economist at the Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration. The government is unlikely to blanket aid across the sectors, and instead only help select companies deemed to be crucial, he added. The remaining companies will be treated like "wildflowers" he told AFP, explaining that "if they are there, that's nice, but if they die, it's okay, since new ones will grow". A draft of the plan cited by TASS news agency included measures ranging from creating a national reserve of medication to developing domestic tourism and spending one trillion rubles on infrastructural projects. Labour Minister Anton Kotyakov said this week that over two million people in the country were registered as unemployed. Analysts at the Boston Consulting Group last week predicted unemployment could triple from the pre-crisis figure of 4.6 percent, based on its projections for the worst-case scenario.

Russia unveils $72-billion virus recovery plan 

US President Donald Trump&rsquo;s <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/budget/fy2018/msar.pdf">first budget request for fiscal year 2018</a> includes drastic cuts for diplomacy and overseas aid (-32%), and slashes US$4.6 billion from humanitarian assistance and global health spending. <img alt="The Conversation" height="1" src="https://counter.theconversation.edu.au/content/74975/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" width="1" />

In the last decade, the United States has been the leading funder for preparing and responding to global infectious disease outbreaks, and the delivery of basic health care to low-income countries.

The cut diminishes the world&rsquo;s capacity to prevent and coordinate interventions to tackle human health security issues.

Reducing funding to national disease surveillance systems, training and infrastructure in the developing world will hamper the ability to deliver rapid, coordinated and consistent responses to borderless infectious disease outbreaks.

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>US funding and leadership strengthen disease surveillance systems and global coordination of epidemic outbreaks by funding professional training and research centres, and working closely with developing countries</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=US funding and leadership strengthen disease surveillance systems and global coordination of epidemic outbreaks by funding professional training and research centres, and working closely with developing countries" target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&nbsp;

Before the Trump era

In 2015, <a href="https://data.oecd.org/chart/4M7f">OECD statistics</a> showed a US aid contribution of over US$29 billion. This was delivered through bilateral agreements (country to country), multilateral commitments (United Nations, World Bank and others) and international and local non-governmental organisations (NGO).

A third of these financial resources (US$11 billion) was used to fund basic health-care services: diagnostic tests for malaria and HIV/AIDS, drugs, bed nets, infrastructure and biomedical research centres.

US funding and leadership strengthen disease surveillance systems and global coordination of epidemic outbreaks by funding professional training and research centres, and working closely with developing countries. The activity of the slated-to-be-decommissioned <a href="https://www.fic.nih.gov">Fogarty International Centre</a> is a good example.

The country&rsquo;s leading role in pushing the agenda to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis is also noteworthy. The US has done so with the creation of the <a href="https://www.pepfar.gov/">President&rsquo;s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief</a> (PEPFAR) in 2002, and of the <a href="https://www.pmi.gov/">President&rsquo;s Malaria Initiative</a> (PMI) in 2005. It has also made substantial contributions to <a href="https://www.theglobalfund.org/en/">The Global Fund</a> (US$10 billion in 2015), which attracts and disburses funds to prevent and treat malaria, HIV and AIDS and tuberculosis.

The US had also made major financial contributions to the <a href="http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sdgoverview/mdg_goals.html">Millennium Development Goals</a> (MDG) (the precursor of the Sustainable Development Goals), resulting in significant achievements in the last 15 years. AIDS-related deaths have dropped by almost half from the epidemic&rsquo;s peak in 2005; tuberculosis deaths declined by 3.7% between 2000 and 2013; child deaths from malaria in Saharan Africa dropped by 31.5%; and maternal mortality fell by 45% worldwide.

The proposed US aid cuts arguably represent, at the very least, a serious setback to achieving the <a href="http://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/sustainable-development-goals.html">Sustainable Development Goals</a> (SDG).

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="row">
<div class="article-blockquote">
<div class="col-sm-10 col-sm-offset-1 blockquote-content quoteshare">
<blockquote>
<h5>The proposed US aid cuts arguably represent, at the very least, a serious setback to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals</h5>
</blockquote>
</div>

<div class="col-sm-1 blockquote-content">
<div class="share-blockquote"><a class="twitter popup" href="http://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=The proposed US aid cuts arguably represent, at the very least, a serious setback to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals " target="_blank">&nbsp;</a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqquoteclosemark">&times;</a></div>
</div>
</div>

&nbsp;

America First and global health security

The budget &ndash; <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/budget/fy2018/budget.pdf">A New Foundation For American Greatness</a> &ndash; retains funding for important programs such as PEPFAR and PMI. But the resources to be channelled through the UN, development banks and NGOs will be reduced as a whole.

Jeffrey Sachs, in warning that &ldquo;the cuts could lead to millions of deaths&rdquo;, stresses that global epidemics are an unpredictable threat with unforeseen consequences.

Tackling these outbreaks requires continuing funding, coordination and local capacity-building; one-off disbursements are not a sustainable strategy.

The <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vhf/ebola/outbreaks/2014-west-africa/">2014-2016 Ebola outbreak</a> highlighted the lack of robust and timely surveillance systems and local preparedness to tackle highly transmissible diseases. The outbreak killed 11,000 people. Around 21,000 additional deaths were due to the reduction in access to health-care services. The international community&rsquo;s response was estimated at US$3.6 billion, which included US$2.3 billion from the US government.

A week ago, the World Health Organisation <a href="http://www.who.int/csr/don/13-may-2017-ebola-drc/en/">confirmed an Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo</a> with a death toll so far of four, 32 suspected cases and 400 people under monitoring. Only resources to prevent and control infectious disease outbreaks will ensure the human and economic impacts of these outbreaks are reduced.

A fair share?

Trump has justified the aid budget cuts by stating that it&rsquo;s time for &ldquo;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/whitehouse.gov/files/omb/budget/fy2018/2018_blueprint.pdf">the world to pay their fair share</a>&rdquo; and increase their contributions to overseas aid.In developing countries, community health is provided mainly by international and national, not-for-profit organisations. Ana Rita Sequeira

But looking at the countries&rsquo; spending, as a percentage of the gross national income (GNI), shows a different picture. In 2015, the <a href="https://data.oecd.org/chart/4M7f">top donors</a> promoting the economic development and welfare of developing countries were Sweden (1.4%), United Arabs Emirates (1.1%), Norway (1%), Luxembourg (0.95%) and Denmark (0.8%). The US is 23rd in the list (0.16%).

The interdependency of human health security issues means global health is the concern of the entire international community. A combined effort is also necessary to disentangle historical inequalities and injustices that lead to <a href="http://www.8020.ie/">80% of the world&rsquo;s population living in the Global South, with access to an unequal share (20%)</a> of the world&rsquo;s resources and human welfare.

What next?

When the budget proposal was published in March, there was a strong response from both <a href="http://www.usglc.org/2017/03/15/republicans-and-democrats-agree-foreign-aid-cuts-would-hurt-u-s-national-security/">Democrats and Republicans</a> speaking out about the importance of investing in foreign aid.

Groups of <a href="http://www.usglc.org/downloads/2017/02/FY18_International_Affairs_Budget_House_Senate.pdf">retired military</a> and <a href="http://www.usglc.org/downloads/2017/05/Business-Letter-Tillerson-May-22.pdf">business leaders</a> signed letters to support resource allocation for the International Affairs Budget, as US economic and national security interests are at stake. Advocates from <a href="https://www.savethechildrenactionnetwork.org/articles/presidents-proposed-budget-cuts-will-catastrophic-future-mothers-children-u-s-abroad/">development agencies</a> also warned about the impact of these cuts in low and middle-income countries&rsquo; populations.

Some believe that this budget is &ldquo;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/may/23/republicans-opposition-trump-budget-medicaid-spending">dead on arrival</a>&rdquo; once it gets to Congress. But if it is approved, the budget will be a game-changer for global health. It will lower financing of basic health care in the developing world, and reduce global disease surveillance systems.

The change will need a new architecture and leadership in international aid. And it will require remedial action from a bloc of countries (leading EU countries and cooperation between middle-income and emerging countries), or from charities and foundations such as Bill and Melinda Gates, or public and private partnerships &ndash; or all of them.

The world needs to take a coordinated action to ensure that global health is not neglected &ndash; we are all responsible for this.

&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on <a href="http://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a>. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/trump-budgets-cuts-to-international-aid-put-global-health-security-at-risk-74975">original article</a>.)

&nbsp;

The cuts proposed by President Trump diminishes the world?s capacity to prevent and coordinate interventions to tackle human health security issues

US President Donald Trump’s first budget request for fiscal year 2018 includes drastic cuts for diplomacy and overseas aid (-32%), and slashes US$4.6 billion from humanitarian assistance and global health spending. In the last decade, the United States has been the leading funder for preparing and responding to global infectious disease outbreaks, and the delivery of basic health care to low-income countries. The cut diminishes the world’s capacity to prevent and coordinate interventions to tackle human health security issues. Reducing funding to national disease surveillance systems, training and infrastructure in the developing world will hamper the ability to deliver rapid, coordinated and consistent responses to borderless infectious disease outbreaks. US funding and leadership strengthen disease surveillance systems and global coordination of epidemic outbreaks by funding professional training and research centres, and working closely with developing countries × Before the Trump era In 2015, OECD statistics showed a US aid contribution of over US$29 billion. This was delivered through bilateral agreements (country to country), multilateral commitments (United Nations, World Bank and others) and international and local non-governmental organisations (NGO). A third of these financial resources (US$11 billion) was used to fund basic health-care services: diagnostic tests for malaria and HIV/AIDS, drugs, bed nets, infrastructure and biomedical research centres. US funding and leadership strengthen disease surveillance systems and global coordination of epidemic outbreaks by funding professional training and research centres, and working closely with developing countries. The activity of the slated-to-be-decommissioned Fogarty International Centre is a good example. The country’s leading role in pushing the agenda to combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis is also noteworthy. The US has done so with the creation of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) in 2002, and of the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) in 2005. It has also made substantial contributions to The Global Fund (US$10 billion in 2015), which attracts and disburses funds to prevent and treat malaria, HIV and AIDS and tuberculosis. The US had also made major financial contributions to the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) (the precursor of the Sustainable Development Goals), resulting in significant achievements in the last 15 years. AIDS-related deaths have dropped by almost half from the epidemic’s peak in 2005; tuberculosis deaths declined by 3.7% between 2000 and 2013; child deaths from malaria in Saharan Africa dropped by 31.5%; and maternal mortality fell by 45% worldwide. The proposed US aid cuts arguably represent, at the very least, a serious setback to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The proposed US aid cuts arguably represent, at the very least, a serious setback to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals × America First and global health security The budget – A New Foundation For American Greatness – retains funding for important programs such as PEPFAR and PMI. But the resources to be channelled through the UN, development banks and NGOs will be reduced as a whole. Jeffrey Sachs, in warning that “the cuts could lead to millions of deaths”, stresses that global epidemics are an unpredictable threat with unforeseen consequences. Tackling these outbreaks requires continuing funding, coordination and local capacity-building; one-off disbursements are not a sustainable strategy. The 2014-2016 Ebola outbreak highlighted the lack of robust and timely surveillance systems and local preparedness to tackle highly transmissible diseases. The outbreak killed 11,000 people. Around 21,000 additional deaths were due to the reduction in access to health-care services. The international community’s response was estimated at US$3.6 billion, which included US$2.3 billion from the US government. A week ago, the World Health Organisation confirmed an Ebola outbreak in Democratic Republic of Congo with a death toll so far of four, 32 suspected cases and 400 people under monitoring. Only resources to prevent and control infectious disease outbreaks will ensure the human and economic impacts of these outbreaks are reduced. A fair share? Trump has justified the aid budget cuts by stating that it’s time for “the world to pay their fair share” and increase their contributions to overseas aid.In developing countries, community health is provided mainly by international and national, not-for-profit organisations. Ana Rita Sequeira But looking at the countries’ spending, as a percentage of the gross national income (GNI), shows a different picture. In 2015, the top donors promoting the economic development and welfare of developing countries were Sweden (1.4%), United Arabs Emirates (1.1%), Norway (1%), Luxembourg (0.95%) and Denmark (0.8%). The US is 23rd in the list (0.16%). The interdependency of human health security issues means global health is the concern of the entire international community. A combined effort is also necessary to disentangle historical inequalities and injustices that lead to 80% of the world’s population living in the Global South, with access to an unequal share (20%) of the world’s resources and human welfare. What next? When the budget proposal was published in March, there was a strong response from both Democrats and Republicans speaking out about the importance of investing in foreign aid. Groups of retired military and business leaders signed letters to support resource allocation for the International Affairs Budget, as US economic and national security interests are at stake. Advocates from development agencies also warned about the impact of these cuts in low and middle-income countries’ populations. Some believe that this budget is “dead on arrival” once it gets to Congress. But if it is approved, the budget will be a game-changer for global health. It will lower financing of basic health care in the developing world, and reduce global disease surveillance systems. The change will need a new architecture and leadership in international aid. And it will require remedial action from a bloc of countries (leading EU countries and cooperation between middle-income and emerging countries), or from charities and foundations such as Bill and Melinda Gates, or public and private partnerships – or all of them. The world needs to take a coordinated action to ensure that global health is not neglected – we are all responsible for this. (This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.)

Trump's cuts to international aid put global health security at risk

international-aid

International Aid, News on International Aid, stories on International Aid, articles on International Aid, International Aid stories at Wion, International Aid news, International Aid latest news