Kathmandu: Several vital health programs in Nepal have come to a standstill following the suspension of grants from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), leaving significant gaps in maternal, child, and reproductive health services.
According to the Family Welfare Division (FWD), the sudden aid freeze has disrupted a range of public health initiatives, many of which were implemented in collaboration with international development partners such as the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), World Health Organization (WHO), and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
The crisis deepened after former U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration announced a halt to foreign aid, impacting numerous international non-governmental organizations working in underdeveloped countries, including Nepal. As a result, reproductive health programs, HIV prevention efforts, and maternal and child health services have been severely affected.
The division has requested the Ministry of Finance to allocate Rs 14 million to settle pending payments for completed program activities. While partial funding has been secured for the next fiscal year for select initiatives, officials say most programs will have to rely on constrained government resources moving forward.