On February 12, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus highlighted the significant impact of the U.S. foreign aid freeze, stressing its detrimental effects on efforts to combat HIV, polio, and other health threats worldwide.
On Wednesday, February 12, World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that the U.S. pause on foreign aid is severely impacting global health programs, including those addressing polio, HIV, and other health threats. Tedros urged the U.S. government to reconsider its decision until long-term solutions are found.
Speaking in a virtual press conference from Geneva, Tedros expressed concern about actions being taken by the U.S., noting that the suspension of foreign aid was already disrupting crucial health programs. In particular, the halt of funding for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has led to an immediate cessation of HIV treatment, testing, and prevention in 50 countries.
While a waiver allowed some services to resume, prevention efforts for at-risk groups were excluded. Tedros also pointed out the negative impact on polio eradication efforts and the response to mpox, especially in Myanmar, where nearly 60,000 people were left without access to life-saving services.
In addition to the aid freeze, President Trump’s move to withdraw the U.S. from the WHO is further hindering collaboration, particularly in the fight against outbreaks and influenza. WHO officials have noted limited access to information on the spread of avian influenza in the U.S. and human cases, with reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ceasing around January 24.
Tedros also mentioned the ongoing funding gap faced by the WHO, despite recent reforms to its funding model, and hinted at exploring other ideas to address the shortfall.
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Houthi attacks target Riyadh amid concerns over Saudi oil supplies, as Iran says it will not reopen the Strait of Hormuz until its conditions are met and U.S. commitments are implemented, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Sunday.
Saudi civil defence sent an all-clear on Saturday after issuing alerts for a second time for potential danger in Riyadh and the city of Al-Kharj east of the capital, amid an uptick in attacks by Iran-aligned Houthis on the Gulf country.
The U.S. State Department approved a $2.7 billion military sale to Ukraine for air-defence development upgrades, along with related equipment and services, the department said. Meanwhile, Ukrainian authorities reported at least 10 people had died in Russian attacks over the last 24 hours.
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The death toll from an overnight Russian attack on the Kyiv region rose to four, including three children, Kyiv regional authorities said on Sunday. A mother and her two 3-year-old children were killed when a Russian drone strike hit a private home, the emergency service said.
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Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 17 September 2026. These are the top five stories making headlines in the field of health.
Doctors in St. Louis have successfully separated Ethiopian two-year-old twin girls who were born joined at the head after a months-long series of complex operations culminating in a nearly 25-hour final procedure, doctors said on Wednesday.
Tobacco use may significantly reduce fertility in both men and women, according to a new World Health Organization (WHO) publication that highlights growing evidence linking smoking and exposure to second-hand smoke with reproductive health problems.
A record-breaking heatwave that swept across western Europe in late June has been linked to more than 10,000 excess deaths, according to newly released mortality data, highlighting the growing human toll of extreme temperatures across the continent.
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