U.S. Aid Cuts lead to Deaths in South Sudan

The recent cuts in U.S. humanitarian aid have triggered a deepening crisis in South Sudan, 8 people including five children, died on a three-hour walk to seek medical treatment for cholera.

According to Christopher Nyamandi, Save the Children’s country director in South Sudan on Wednesday, “There should be global moral outrage that the decisions made by powerful people in other countries have led to child deaths in just a matter of weeks.”

Experts have warned that the cuts including the cancellation of more than 90% of USAID’s contracts could cost millions of lives in the coming years due to malnutrition, AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and other diseases.

The U.S. State Department said it did not have information about the deaths reported by Save the Children. A spokesperson said many U.S government programmes providing lifesaving aid in South Sudan remained active but that support for medical services had also been used to enrich the country’s leaders.

“While emergency lifesaving programmes continue, we will not, in good conscience, ask the American taxpayer to provide assistance that effectively subsidises the irresponsible and corrupt behaviour of South Sudan’s political leaders,” the spokesperson said.

South Sudan’s government has in the past acknowledged a significant amount of public corruption but denied specific accusations of graft, including against President Salva Kiir’s family.

Humanitarian aid to the country is often channelled through non-governmental organisations, largely because of corruption concerns.

Save the Children supported 27 health facilities in eastern South Sudan’s Jonglei State until earlier this year when the U.S. cuts forced seven to shut completely and 20 to close partially, the organisation said in a statement.