The future of Global Surgery amidst funding cuts

Abstract

The landscape of Global Surgery is facing a huge challenge due to significant cuts in overseas aid from major donors, particularly the United States and the United Kingdom. Historically, these two nations have provided essential funding for care and research programmes in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, recent policy shifts have seen drastic cuts in international health funding, with the UK government reducing its overseas aid budget from 0.7% to 0.5% of Gross National Income, a reduction amounting to over £4 billion annually. The US has also implemented substantial funding reductions, with USAID’s global health budget cut by approximately 20% and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) facing a 9% reduction in funding for international collaborations. These cuts directly impact programmes under USAID and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which have historically played a crucial role in global surgical capacity building.