KATHMANDU, July 7: Several health programs in Nepal have come to a halt following the suspension of grants from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). While the government has managed to continue some of the affected programs with domestic funding, others remain completely stopped, according to the Family Welfare Division (FWD).
The FWD stated that various international development agencies, which had been supporting health programs in underdeveloped countries through USAID, have been directly impacted by the funding cuts. These agencies included United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and others.
The situation worsened after the U.S. President Donald Trump announced a halt to international aid, undermining these international non-governmental organizations. Consequently, several health initiatives in Nepal, such as reproductive health, maternal and child health, HIV programs, and the micronutrient survey project, have been affected.
Additionally, the regular immunization program supported by Gavi (Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization) is also expected to suffer. The decennial micronutrient survey, which also included a study of iodine content in salt, was suspended midway due to the aid cut.
Dr Bibek Kumar, director at FWD, said the proposed program was left in limbo just as it was moving forward because the grant was halted. “We need national data to determine whether iodine levels should be increased or decreased, and that required this survey—which couldn’t be carried out,” he said.
Moreover, vaccine registration for the next five years was pending. A breastfeeding training program under the maternal and child health initiative has also been halted. “Healthcare workers across the country must receive regular training on breastfeeding, which has now stopped,” Dr Lal said.
The FWD also reported that payments for some already completed activities remain pending. They have requested the Ministry of Finance to allocate a budget for these payments, which amount to Rs 14 million.
Dr. Abhiyan Gautam, Chief of the Immunization Section at the FWD, stated that the USAID had recently suspended its grant to Gavi, the international vaccine alliance, which is expected to impact Nepal's immunization program.
Gautam pointed out that if the program is halted, the government may have to bear an additional burden of Rs 1.2 billion for vaccines. Following the suspension of U.S. assistance, the Adolescent and Newborn Health Project, which had proven effective in Nepal, has also been discontinued, according to Director Lal. These projects were also part of the U.S. aid program.
Due to the budget freeze in the current fiscal year, several programs had to be halted before completion. These include mental health programs for postpartum mothers, human resource development related to maternal and child health, and neonatal death review programs. Some initiatives are now being run only in a limited or makeshift capacity, she said.
According to Dr. Pradhan, although the budget for the neonatal death surveillance program was halted, a portion of the funds has now been allocated for the upcoming fiscal year through renewed support. However, several programs will have to be operated with limited government resources.