At least ten health centers have been shut down in Unity State’s Rubkona County since the beginning of July due to a shortage of drug supplies after the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) stopped funding international and local health organizations.
Humanitarians have warned that the gap left by cuts to U.S. funding for aid programs cannot be filled. The U.S. closed its arm for foreign assistance at the beginning of July, formerly the USAID, placing it under the State Department in a move Secretary of State Marco Rubio said marked the end of an “era of government-sanctioned inefficiency.” The U.S. Senate is expected to vote on legislation proposed by the Trump Administration soon to save over $8 billion in funding to USAID in the remainder of the fiscal year.
Rubkona County Health Director Dor Gai Patai confirmed the closure of the ten Primary Health Care Centers (PHCCs) this month due to funding cuts.
“All ten health centers were closed down after the donors came and told us facilities will not be operating due to a lack of funds, which is a global issue,” he stated. “There was already a spike in malaria cases registered in health centers that were closed.”
The affected Primary Health Care Centers are Nhialdiu, Panhiany, Norlamwel, BarKuor Budang, WathJack, Ngop, Yornhial, Dharbor, Yoangnyang, and one in the Rubkona IDP Camp Primary Health Care Unit.
Meanwhile, a resident of Nhialdiu, David Wal, said the closure of the local health center spells doom for the local people.
“Our health facility is one of those affected, and this is bad news because it is difficult for our sick people to reach Rubkona Town, where the nearest facility is,” he lamented. “Patients have to walk from Nhialdiu to Rubkona for seven hours, and yet most of the areas are flooded. We really need our health center to work to save the people.”