'The System Has Collapsed': Ebola Outbreak Highlights How US Aid Cuts Funded Congo's Health System Until Trump's Aid Halt

The ongoing Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo-Kinshasa, which has already claimed 60 lives and infected at least 344 people, is being scrutinized for its delayed detection. Health experts widely agree that the epidemic, potentially starting as early as January, could have been identified much sooner had Congo not lost millions of dollars in crucial health aid last year.

Much of the blame is directed at the United States. The Trump administration's drastic reduction of development aid through USAID, its withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO), and significant staff cuts at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have crippled Congo's ability to monitor and respond to health crises. For years, U.S. funding was a cornerstone of Congo's health system, supporting treatment for millions suffering from diseases like malaria and tuberculosis, and bolstering epidemic surveillance.

American aid to Congo plummeted from $1.4 billion in fiscal year 2024 to just $21 million in the current fiscal year. This abrupt halt in funding has dismantled vital programs for training health workers, equipping emergency response teams, supporting laboratories, and facilitating the transport of virus samples. The consequences are stark: an outbreak that might have been contained early has instead spiraled into one of the deadliest in history.

In response to this diminished international support, African countries are now stepping up to finance their own health systems. This shift underscores a growing determination among nations to build self-sufficiency in public health, a necessary adaptation in the face of unpredictable global aid landscapes and the persistent threat of infectious diseases.

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The system has collapsed.