Introduction: A Silent Crisis Unfolding in Ghana

The intricate web of global health and development relies heavily on sustained international assistance. For decades, entities like the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) have served as foundational pillars, supporting public health infrastructure, disease prevention, and the provision of basic human needs in developing nations. This aid extends far beyond mere charity; it represents a strategic investment in global stability, fostering resilience, and promoting human well-being across continents. The sheer scale of USAID’s influence underscores its critical role: in 2024, it accounted for an astounding 30 percent of total overseas development assistance (ODA), spending more than double the amount of the second-largest donor.¹ This unparalleled footprint establishes the colossal magnitude of its influence and, consequently, the immense vacuum created by its withdrawal.

However, the landscape of global humanitarian aid has been irrevocably altered by recent policy decisions. In August 2025, a U.S. appeals court authorized the suspension or termination of billions of dollars in congressionally appropriated foreign aid, a move that directly impacted critical global health initiatives. This included a devastating cut of nearly $4 billion from global health programs and over $6 billion specifically from HIV and AIDS programs.¹ More profoundly, these actions culminated in the permanent closure of USAID on July 1, 2025, with its remaining functions absorbed by the State Department, alongside an unprecedented 83 percent permanent reduction to all development aid previously channeled through the agency.¹ This is not merely a budgetary adjustment or a gradual reduction in funding. The abrupt and near-total dismantling of USAID, a cornerstone of international development, represents a profound systemic shock to the global aid architecture. Unlike an incremental decline, which might allow for adaptation and transition, this sudden withdrawal fractures established partnerships, disrupts vital supply chains, and halts critical knowledge transfer mechanisms that have been built over decades. The absence of a clear transition plan further exacerbates the chaos and suffering on the ground, leading to an immediate and acute humanitarian crisis rather than a slow erosion of services. The repercussions are far more difficult to manage and will be prolonged, as the very foundation of aid delivery has been compromised.

This withdrawal of a major global health and development actor carries significant implications beyond immediate financial loss. USAID was not merely a funder; it functioned as a global leader in development, establishing standards, coordinating international efforts, and building local capacity in partner countries.¹ Its closure and drastic cuts, especially given its position as the largest ODA funder, send a powerful signal about the U.S.’s commitment to global health and humanitarian efforts. This withdrawal could lead to a significant erosion of trust among international partners and create a leadership vacuum in global health. Other donor nations may become hesitant to fully step into the void if the largest player has retreated, potentially leading to a fragmentation of efforts and a weakening of multilateral initiatives. The consequence is not just a lack of financial resources but the potential for a more chaotic and less coordinated global health landscape, ultimately impacting the most vulnerable populations disproportionately.

This report focuses on Ghana, a lower-middle-income country with an estimated population of 32.8 million in 2020.¹ Despite experiencing consistent economic growth, Ghana continues to grapple with significant health and development challenges, particularly in its rural areas.¹ These regions often lag in access to safely managed water and sanitation, and many healthcare facilities face severe limitations in water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) access, compromising the quality of patient care.¹ Malaria, for instance, remains a serious public health challenge, accounting for 40% of all outpatient visits to hospitals.² Ghana’s vulnerability to these cuts is particularly acute given its historical reliance on USAID for critical development initiatives. The nation was even re-designated as a “High-Priority Country” under the U.S. government Global Water Strategy for 2022-2027, with USAID/Ghana explicitly committed to providing basic drinking water services for an estimated 500,000 people and expanding WASH access for 200 health facilities and schools.¹ This deep entanglement between USAID and Ghana’s basic health infrastructure means that USAID’s departure will have immediate, tangible, and severe consequences for a population still reliant on such support for fundamental services.

In the face of this unfolding crisis, organizations like Give Basic Needs, an international nonprofit operating under the Colussi Family Foundation, have become more vital than ever. Give Basic Needs is deeply committed to reducing suffering and amplifying happiness by providing essential resources, including food, shelter, and medical services, to economically-disadvantaged individuals and families, with a particular focus on Northern Ghana.¹ This report argues that these unprecedented cuts threaten to reverse decades of public health progress, leading to immense human suffering, and underscore the urgent, indispensable need for direct philanthropic support to organizations like Give Basic Needs.

The Unraveling of Global Health Funding: A Catastrophe by the Numbers

The historical footprint of USAID in global health and development is unparalleled, marking it as the world’s largest overseas development assistance funder. Its influence extended across continents, shaping public health outcomes and fostering development in countless nations. In 2024, USAID alone accounted for 30 percent of total ODA, a figure that dramatically overshadows other donors, as it spent more than twice the amount of the second-largest contributor.¹ This context is crucial for understanding the current crisis; the cuts are not from a minor player in the aid landscape but from its dominant force, making the repercussions uniquely severe and far-reaching.

The stark reality of these policy shifts is reflected in the billions of dollars slashed from global health and HIV/AIDS programs. The U.S. appeals court decision in August 2025 paved the way for the termination of substantial foreign aid, leading to nearly $4 billion being cut from global health programs and a staggering $6 billion from HIV and AIDS initiatives.¹ These financial figures are not abstract; they represent the cessation of life-saving initiatives. The gravity of the situation is further underscored by the permanent closure of USAID on July 1, 2025, and an 83 percent permanent reduction to all development aid previously provided through the agency.¹ The focus on HIV/AIDS programs is particularly poignant, given the decades of concerted global effort and significant progress made in combating this epidemic.

Translating these financial cuts into human lives reveals a projected toll of catastrophic proportions. Expert projections paint a grim picture: a recent study published in The Lancet forecasts 14 million additional deaths by 2030 directly attributable to these program cuts. This includes fatalities resulting from a lack of vaccinations, undelivered medication, and the absence of essential food and clean water provisions.¹ The immediate impact is already being felt; Boston University estimates that nearly 90,000 people have died in the past six months alone due to the funding freeze on the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program that represents just one of many affected initiatives.¹ Overall, the closure of USAID and the subsequent cuts are expected to result in as many as 95 million people losing access to basic healthcare globally, potentially leading to over 3 million preventable deaths each year worldwide.¹ These are not merely statistics; they represent families, communities, and futures irrevocably lost. The mention of PEPFAR, a globally recognized and highly successful program, makes the impact relatable and highlights the breadth of the affected initiatives, demonstrating how a single policy decision can ripple across the globe with devastating human consequences.

To illustrate the immediate impact of these funding freezes, consider the situation in Côte d’Ivoire. In this nation, approximately 70% of antiretroviral medication, critical for individuals living with HIV, was supplied through PEPFAR.¹ The cessation of this program means a literal loss of treatment for those dependent on it, indicating a catastrophic impact on existing treatment regimens and prevention efforts.¹ This situation serves as a direct parallel to the potential scenario unfolding in Ghana, making the threat immediate and tangible. It transcends abstract numbers to reveal the stark reality of individuals facing the loss of life-sustaining medication.

The implications of this aid withdrawal extend beyond the direct loss of funds for specific medical programs. The cuts are not solely about the absence of vaccinations or HIV/AIDS medication; they also encompass the lack of “food and clean water not provided” and the inability to meet “basic health needs”.¹ USAID’s work often involved strengthening local government partners, such as the Ghana Water Company Limited, and improving water quality and service expansion.¹ This suggests a profound multiplier effect of the aid withdrawal. Beyond direct medical services, the cuts undermine foundational development pillars like Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) and food security, which are intrinsically linked to overall health outcomes. When access to clean water and adequate nutrition is compromised, the burden of preventable diseases—such as waterborne illnesses and conditions related to malnutrition—increases, further straining already weakened health systems. This creates a dangerous cycle where the absence of one type of aid exacerbates problems in other, seemingly unrelated, sectors.

The projected “14 million additional deaths by 2030” and “3 million preventable deaths per year globally” ¹ are staggering figures that point to a profound intergenerational impact. These fatalities disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including mothers, newborns, and young children, precisely the groups that USAID’s Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and WASH portfolio explicitly aimed to protect by reducing preventable deaths.¹ The loss of young lives means a loss of future productivity, innovation, and community resilience. The deaths of mothers leave behind orphaned children, creating further societal burdens and perpetuating cycles of poverty. Moreover, the anticipated rise in untreated diseases like HIV/AIDS will not only increase mortality but also lead to a generation living with chronic illness, impacting their ability to learn, work, and contribute effectively to society. This represents a long-term societal wound, extending far beyond an immediate health crisis.

The sheer scale of these cuts and their projected human toll are summarized in the table below, providing a stark overview of the crisis.

Table 1: The Catastrophic Scale of USAID Cuts and Projected Global Health Impact

Funding Area/Impact Metric	Amount/Number
Global Health Programs Cut	Nearly $4 billion
HIV/AIDS Programs Cut	More than $6 billion
Permanent Cut to All Development Aid	83%
Projected Additional Deaths by 2030 (The Lancet)	14 million
Deaths in Past 6 Months due to PEPFAR Freeze (Boston University)	Nearly 90,000
People Losing Access to Basic Healthcare Globally	As many as 95 million
Preventable Deaths Per Year Globally	Over 3 million

To further illustrate the magnitude of the USAID funding reductions, the following data can be visualized in a bar chart:

Figure 1: Major USAID Funding Reductions (Billions USD)

Program Type	Funding Cut (Billions USD)
Global Health Programs	4
HIV/AIDS Programs	6

The projected human impact of these cuts can also be represented visually to emphasize the scale of the crisis:

Figure 2: Key Projected Global Human Impact Metrics

Impact Metric	Number (Millions)
Additional Deaths by 2030	14
People Losing Access to Basic Healthcare	95
Preventable Deaths Per Year	3

Ghana’s Health System Under Siege: The Human Cost of Policy Shifts

Ghana, a lower-middle-income country with a population of 32.8 million in 2020, has made commendable strides in economic growth.¹ However, this progress has not uniformly translated into improved health outcomes across the nation. Significant health and development challenges persist, particularly in its rural areas, which remain highly vulnerable.¹ Access to safely managed water and sanitation lags considerably in these regions, and many healthcare facilities themselves suffer from severe limitations in WASH access, directly compromising the quality of patient care they can provide.¹ Malaria, for instance, continues to be a formidable public health challenge, accounting for 40% of all outpatient visits to hospitals.² This establishes a baseline vulnerability: even with economic advancements, Ghana’s health system, especially outside major urban centers, is fragile and highly dependent on external support to address critical gaps in infrastructure and service delivery.

USAID’s foundational support in Ghana has been instrumental in bolstering the nation’s health system. The agency was deeply embedded in building sustainable capacity and addressing fundamental health determinants. USAID/Ghana had committed to providing basic drinking water services for an estimated 500,000 people and expanding WASH access for 200 health facilities and schools.¹ Furthermore, its work focused on strengthening the capacity of key government partners, such as the Ghana Water Company Limited and the Community Water and Sanitation Agency, and improving water quality and service expansion across the country.¹ The USAID Country Development Cooperation Strategy (CDCS) and its WASH portfolio explicitly aligned with efforts to reduce preventable deaths among mothers, newborns, and young children.¹ This demonstrates that USAID was not merely providing handouts but was actively involved in fostering long-term health resilience. Its withdrawal, therefore, impacts the very fabric of Ghana’s public health infrastructure, dismantling systems that took years to establish.

The direct and devastating consequences of these cuts on Ghana’s healthcare system are multifaceted and interconnected, creating a deepening crisis.

Exacerbated Healthcare Insecurity

The reduction in major funding streams will inevitably lead to a significant decline in the availability of essential medical services, testing kits, and treatment commodities for diseases like HIV/AIDS.¹ This represents the immediate, tangible impact: a severe scarcity of the very tools needed to diagnose and treat illnesses. While organizations like Give Basic Needs and the Ghana AIDS Commission have provided some test kits and condoms at specific events, the sheer volume of need across Ghana, particularly in vast rural areas, cannot possibly be met by smaller organizations alone.¹

Increased Disease Burden

With a reduced capacity for testing, cases of HIV/AIDS, as well as other prevalent diseases like malaria and Hepatitis B/C, are likely to go undetected for longer periods.¹ This will lead to increased transmission rates within communities and the progression of untreated illnesses to more severe stages. Such a scenario directly threatens Ghana’s hard-won efforts to control these diseases, potentially reversing years of public health progress and leading to a surge in preventable illnesses and deaths.¹

Fractured Supply Chains

Ghana’s healthcare system previously relied heavily on large international funders like USAID for the consistent supply of health commodities.¹ The sudden and drastic withdrawal of funding has fractured these established supply chains. This disruption makes it exceedingly difficult for local health centers to acquire necessary medications and supplies, even if some alternative funding sources were to become available.¹ Even if funds were to materialize, the logistical infrastructure built over decades has been dismantled, creating a critical bottleneck that prevents aid from reaching those who desperately need it.

Overwhelmed Local Resources

Ghanaian health facilities, already facing significant infrastructural challenges and limited resources, will be further overwhelmed by the sudden void left by USAID.¹ The immense burden of providing care, testing, and prevention for HIV/AIDS, malaria, and other diseases will fall more heavily on a system that is simply not equipped to absorb such a massive shortfall in international support.¹ This highlights the systemic vulnerability: local systems, already stretched thin, are now expected to bear an impossible burden, leading to a breakdown in service delivery.

Erosion of Prevention Efforts

Beyond testing and treatment, the USAID cuts will severely curtail crucial prevention programs. This includes vital sexual health education initiatives and the distribution of preventative items like condoms.¹ The long-term implications of this erosion are dire, including a potential rise in new HIV infections, especially among vulnerable populations who rely on these programs for information and protective measures.¹ Prevention is often the most cost-effective intervention, and its curtailment means a future surge in disease, creating even greater burdens on an already collapsing system.

Wider Societal Consequences

The impact of untreated or undetected HIV/AIDS cases extends far beyond individual health.

Such a health crisis can have cascading effects on entire communities, severely impacting productivity, exacerbating poverty, and diverting already scarce resources from other essential development areas.¹ This ultimately undermines the overall well-being and happiness that organizations like Give Basic Needs strive to promote, creating a pervasive and long-lasting societal wound.¹

These distinct impacts are not isolated; they form a dangerous, self-reinforcing feedback loop. Supply chain disruptions, for instance, directly cause exacerbated healthcare insecurity due to a lack of test kits and medications. This insecurity then leads to reduced testing and treatment, which in turn drives an increased disease burden with more undetected cases and higher transmission rates. The rising disease burden then places an overwhelming strain on already limited local resources. Simultaneously, the erosion of prevention efforts ensures a continuous influx of new cases, further overwhelming the system. This means the crisis will not simply stabilize at a new, lower level of care; it is poised to accelerate its decline unless substantial external intervention occurs.

Beyond the tangible lack of supplies and facilities, a more insidious consequence looms: the degradation of human capital within Ghana’s healthcare system. A system under such immense and unsustainable pressure, coupled with a severe lack of essential supplies, inevitably impacts the medical professionals who are its backbone. There is a significant risk of “brain drain” as skilled medical professionals, demoralized by the inability to provide adequate care and facing impossible working conditions, seek opportunities elsewhere. This loss of expertise further cripples the system’s ability to recover and rebuild. Additionally, the morale of remaining healthcare workers will plummet, leading to burnout, reduced quality of care, and a diminished capacity to respond effectively to the escalating health crisis. The long-term consequence is not just a lack of material resources but a severe degradation of the human capacity within the healthcare system, making future rebuilding efforts even more challenging and costly.

Give Basic Needs: A Lifeline in the Face of Overwhelming Need

In the heart of this escalating crisis, Give Basic Needs stands as a testament to unwavering commitment and direct action. The organization is deeply dedicated to reducing suffering and amplifying happiness by providing essential resources, including food, shelter, and medical services, to economically-disadvantaged individuals and families.¹ Its work is particularly concentrated in Northern Ghana, a region characterized by limited infrastructure and profound vulnerability, where Give Basic Needs has consistently provided vital healthcare interventions.¹ This specific focus reinforces Give Basic Needs’ direct relevance and effectiveness in the very regions most impacted by the USAID withdrawal, demonstrating its ability to deliver tangible support where it is most critically needed.

Give Basic Needs boasts a compelling record of tangible, life-saving interventions, directly addressing immediate needs in underserved communities.

Detailed Overview of Medical Screening and Pad Distribution Events

Give Basic Needs has conducted numerous large-scale medical outreach events, reaching thousands of individuals with critical health services. For instance, events at Gushegu Senior High School and Business Senior High School in Tamale provided free health screenings for thousands of students, checking for illnesses such as malaria, Hepatitis B & C, and HIV/AIDS.¹ A particularly impactful event in Gmanicheri saw a dedicated team of 20 medical professionals provide screenings and consultations to 1,500 individuals, supported by the Ghana AIDS Commission which provided 1,000 HIV/AIDS test kits and condoms.¹ These initiatives also thoughtfully incorporate educational sessions on breast self-exam techniques and the distribution of sanitary pads, addressing crucial menstrual hygiene challenges that often go overlooked.¹

The consistent provision of screenings, education, and essential supplies like sanitary pads highlights Give Basic Needs’ holistic approach to health, recognizing that well-being extends beyond just treating illness. The following table details their impactful medical outreach events:

Table 2: Give Basic Needs’ Medical Outreach Events in Ghana (2023-2025)

Event Name	Date	Location	Key Services Provided	Number of People Served
Medical Screening — 1500 Gifted	Jan 31, 2025	Gmanicheri and its neighboring villages	Critical health screenings and services	1,500

Medical Screening & Pad Distribution – 1000 Gifted	Dec 5, 2024	Nasuug, Ghana	Medical screenings and education	1,000
Medical Screening & Pad Distribution – 2500 Gifted	Apr 29, 2024	Gusheigu Township	Free screenings and basic supplies	2,500
Medical Screening & Pad Distribution – 2200 Gifted	Feb 16, 2024	Business Senior High School in Tamale	Free health screening for illnesses like malaria, Hepatitis B & C, and pads	Over 2,000
Medical Screening & Pad Distribution – 2000 Gifted	Nov 9, 2023	Tamale Senior High School, Tamale	Health screenings and educational empowerment	2,000
Medical Screening & Pad Distribution – 1000 Gifted	Oct 22, 2023	Gushegu Senior High School	Essential health services and spreading happiness	1,000
Medical Screening & Pad Distribution – 800 Gifted	Oct 21, 2023	Savelugu Senior High School	Health screenings and educational empowerment	800
Medical Screening & Pad	Oct 20, 2023	Northern School of Business,	Empowering students	800
Distribution – 800 Gifted		Tamale

The Profound Impact of Clean Water Initiatives

Recognizing the profound link between water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) and overall health, Give Basic Needs has undertaken significant borehole projects. They have successfully refurbished or drilled boreholes in numerous Ghanaian villages, including Dekpunga, Nabule, Pulo, Sampemo, Nausugu-Mang, and Damdaboli. These initiatives have provided clean, potable water to an estimated 3,500 people in the Gushegu municipality alone.¹ Access to clean water is pivotal in enhancing health and hygiene standards, significantly reducing the risk of waterborne diseases.¹ This highlights Give Basic Needs’ understanding of foundational health determinants and their proactive, long-term approach to community well-being, directly addressing a critical need previously supported by USAID.

Efforts in Addressing Food Insecurity

While their primary focus remains medical, Give Basic Needs’ efforts also extend to food distribution. They have provided essential food items such as pineapples, polished rice, and sunflower cooking oil.¹ This indirectly but powerfully supports health by combating

malnutrition and strengthening immune systems, particularly among vulnerable populations.¹ This demonstrates a comprehensive approach to basic needs, recognizing the interconnectedness of food, nutrition, and overall health outcomes.

Despite Give Basic Needs’ significant local impact and unwavering dedication, there is a stark contrast between its capacity and the colossal void left by USAID. Give Basic Needs continues its mission with dedication, including plans to expand local fundraising through mobile money, aiming for approximately $10,000 USD per year.¹ While this amount is impactful for specific community projects—for instance, it could fund two more boreholes or enable testing for 22,000 individuals for contagious diseases—it cannot realistically compensate for the billions of dollars cut from USAID’s global health and HIV/AIDS programs.¹ This is a crucial point: while Give Basic Needs is highly effective and efficient, the scale of the crisis demands far greater support than any single smaller organization can generate independently.

The limitations of smaller organizations are clear: philanthropic efforts alone cannot fill a multi-billion-dollar gap. The reduction in such large-scale, systemic funding creates a void that cannot be filled by the philanthropic efforts of smaller organizations alone.¹ The sheer volume of need across Ghana, especially in its vast rural areas, cannot be met by organizations like Give Basic Needs alone.¹ This directly reinforces the call for donations, framing them not as supplementary contributions but as essential investments in a collective effort to mitigate a systemic failure.

USAID’s traditional model involved large-scale, governmental partnerships and systemic capacity building.¹ Give Basic Needs, by contrast, focuses on direct medical interventions and what it terms “small acts” at the community level, providing essential resources like food, shelter, medical services, and clean water directly to economically-disadvantaged individuals and families.¹ In a world where large-scale, top-down aid has been drastically cut, organizations like Give Basic Needs become strategically vital. Their direct, grassroots approach allows them to bypass fractured supply chains and overwhelmed government systems, delivering immediate, tangible relief precisely where it is most needed. This model of direct service delivery and deep community engagement is inherently more resilient to the systemic shocks that affect larger, more bureaucratic aid structures. This elevates their role from merely complementary to absolutely essential in the new, challenging aid paradigm.

Furthermore, the ability of Give Basic Needs to achieve significant impact with relatively modest resources is noteworthy. The potential for $10,000 USD per year to fund two more boreholes or test 22,000 individuals ¹ highlights a particular efficiency. While the total amount Give Basic Needs can raise is dwarfed by USAID’s former budget, the impact per dollar might be higher due to lower overhead, direct community engagement, and rapid response capabilities. For donors, this means a clearer, more immediate return on their investment in terms of lives touched and basic needs met. This positions direct donations to organizations like Give Basic Needs as a highly effective and transparent way for individuals to make a tangible difference in a crisis where large-scale systemic aid has faltered.

The Urgent Call to Action: Your Contribution, A Direct Lifeline

The immediate and long-term threats posed by the unprecedented funding cuts are dire and demand urgent attention. The projected 14 million additional deaths by 2030, the 95 million people losing access to basic healthcare globally, and the specific, devastating impacts on Ghana’s healthcare system—including exacerbated healthcare insecurity, an increased disease burden, fractured supply chains, overwhelmed local resources, and the erosion of crucial prevention efforts—paint a grim picture.¹ These are not distant problems; they represent an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe that will claim millions of lives and reverse decades of progress.

In this critical moment, individual donations, grants, and contributions to Give Basic Needs translate directly into tangible, life-saving outcomes in Ghana. Contributions directly support Give Basic Needs’ proven track record: funding boreholes that provide clean water to 3,500 people, conducting vital medical screenings for thousands (such as the 1,500 individuals served in Gmanicheri and over 2,000 students at Business Senior High School), and distributing essential items like sanitary pads and HIV/AIDS test kits.² The potential impact of even a relatively modest sum is profound: $10,000 USD, for example, could fund two additional boreholes, bringing clean water to more communities, or enable contagious disease testing for an astounding 22,000 individuals.¹ This direct link between donor action and specific, measurable impact fosters trust and provides a powerful motivation for support.

The power of collective action cannot be overstated; every contribution, regardless of its size, makes a critical difference in mitigating this crisis. While the scale of the void left by USAID is immense, the combined efforts of individuals and organizations can create a collective lifeline. This addresses any potential feelings of helplessness in the face of such massive problems, demonstrating that even “small acts” contribute meaningfully to a larger solution.

The current crisis, stemming from a top-down, global policy failure with the USAID cuts, finds its most effective response through grassroots, locally embedded organizations like Give Basic Needs. This highlights that direct donations to such organizations are not merely about charity; they are about empowering local resilience and self-sufficiency in the face of global systemic shocks. It represents an investment in communities’ ability to protect themselves when larger international structures falter. Donors become active participants in building a more robust, decentralized humanitarian response framework, rather than passively relying on traditional aid channels. This fosters a sense of agency and shared responsibility in addressing global challenges.

The narrative around donations to organizations like Give Basic Needs has fundamentally shifted. Given that USAID’s cuts have created a “void that cannot be filled by philanthropic efforts of smaller organizations alone” ¹, donations are no longer merely supplementary to large-scale government aid. Instead, they have become foundational for the very survival of basic health services in vulnerable regions. The framing of support moves from “helping a good cause” to “preventing catastrophic human suffering” and “sustaining essential lifelines.” This elevates the urgency and moral imperative for individual contributions, making every donation a direct act of preservation.

To become part of this vital solution and provide a direct lifeline to those suffering in Ghana, contributions can be made at donate.givebasicneeds.org.

Conclusion: A Shared Responsibility for a Healthier, More Humane Future

The USAID policy cuts represent a catastrophic blow to global health efforts, with particularly severe implications for nations like Ghana.¹ The withdrawal of billions of dollars from global health and HIV/AIDS programs, coupled with the effective dismantling of USAID, creates a vacuum that endangers the lives of millions and threatens to unravel decades of public health advancements. For Ghana, this means a significant increase in healthcare insecurity, a

heightened risk of preventable deaths, and a severe impediment to ongoing efforts in medical testing and disease prevention, particularly for HIV and AIDS.

In this critical juncture, organizations like Give Basic Needs continue to provide indispensable support at the grassroots level, delivering essential medical services, clean water, and food directly to vulnerable communities.¹ Their proven track record of impactful interventions demonstrates their efficiency and dedication in mitigating the immediate human suffering caused by these policy shifts. However, the sheer scale of the crisis underscores that while Give Basic Needs and similar organizations are vital, they cannot, on their own, compensate for the systemic void left by the withdrawal of such massive, sustained international funding.

The indispensable need for comprehensive, sustained international funding and collaboration to protect and promote the basic health needs of vulnerable populations worldwide has never been more apparent.¹ The current situation calls for a profound re-evaluation of global responsibility and a collective commitment to humanitarian principles. Direct philanthropic support to organizations like Give Basic Needs is not merely an act of charity; it is a critical investment in human lives, a bulwark against escalating suffering, and a testament to global solidarity. By contributing, individuals and foundations can directly empower local resilience, ensuring that essential services continue to reach those who need them most, and collectively work towards a healthier, more humane future for all.

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Works Cited

1. “Ghana Population 2020.” World Bank. Accessed August 15, 2025.
2. “USAID/Ghana Health.” USAID. Accessed August 15, 2025.
3. “The U.S. Government Global Water Strategy 2022-2027.” USAID. Accessed August 15, 2025.
4. “USAID/Ghana Country Development Cooperation Strategy (2020-2025).” USAID.
5. The Unforeseen Repercussions_ Assessing the Future Impact of USAID Policy Cuts.pdf
6. Giving Events – Give Basic Needs, accessed August 15, 2025, https://givebasicneeds.org/giving-events

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News & Commentary

• “USAID as a Funder.” Devex. Accessed August 15, 2025.
• “US appeals court lets Trump slash billions in foreign aid.” Al Jazeera. August 13, 2025.
• “USAID cuts: six months on.” Africa Practice. July 23, 2025.
• “Lancet study projects US foreign aid cuts could result in over 14 million preventable deaths globally.” The Economic Times. July 1, 2025.
• “Over 14 million people could die from US foreign aid cuts, study finds on USAID’s last day.” Courthouse News Service. July 1, 2025.
• “The Effects of the US Foreign Aid Suspension on Northern Ghana.” Savana Signatures. Accessed August 15, 2025.
• “USAID Ghana Projects: Impact On Health, Education & Agri.” Farmonaut. Accessed August 15, 2025.
• “Mercy Corps: The Human Toll of U.S. Foreign Aid Cuts Six Months On.” Mercy Corps. July 17, 2025.
• “Ghana struggles to fight disease and poverty without vital U.S. aid.” PBS News. July 2, 2025.
• “USAID disruption: Can Ghana leverage healthcare supply chains?” CNBC Africa. April 29, 2025.
• “Impact of USAID Freeze on Ghana.” Your Commonwealth. March 5, 2025.
• “Amnesty International warns of devastating consequences as abrupt U.S. Foreign Aid cuts threaten human rights globally.” Amnesty International. May 20, 2025.

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Media Coverage

• GhanaWeb: “USAID funding cuts strain Ghanaian health sector as local NGOs adapt“. (September 24, 2025)