Submission statement: Donald Trump defunded USAID, decimated PEPFAR and withdrew from the WHO. This article describes the new policy framework that is replacing the last 2 decades of US health assistance policy in Africa.

This is relevant because it is about policy - specifically. The next pandemic could easily originate in Africa, so it affects global health too. The core idea is that the US will provide African governments with healthcare funding directly - no more NGOs. In exchange, African governments will give the US minerals, healthcare data for the U.S. medical industry and promise to notify the U.S. quickly when diseases of concern are detected. Also, U.S. money can't be used for abortion based family planning.

Some governments are happy with these terms. Others are not. And in those where the government has accepted the terms, some actors in civil society are now going to the courts.

To discuss: Is this a suitable replacement to the Clinton-Bush framework? Will Africa - and the world - be healthier and safer as a result of these policies? Are the terms of these deals fair or unfair? Do you believe these funds will actually build African healthcare capacity, or do you think there was good reason to have NGOs as a delivery mechanism? Or maybe both?

Trump’s African health strategy falters