Christian aid organisations are calling on the German government to boost funding for global health, one year after the United States announced the termination of USAID.
Dagmar Pruin, president of the Protestant aid body Brot für die Welt and Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, told the “Rheinische Post” that the end of USAID “could have been an opportunity for the world community to close ranks. That opportunity has been missed to date”. She urged the German government not to remain passive in the face of this collapse and to “significantly increase the funds for global health”. Pruin added that only by doing so can catastrophic gaps in supply chains be closed.
Oliver Müller, head of Caritas International, warned that the successes achieved in global health over recent years are now “seriously jeopardised” by the USAID cut‑back and by a widespread wave of aid reductions by other states, including Germany itself. He noted that billions of euros are now missing for research and vaccination programmes, and that “the poorest are suffering the most”. Müller said that without the now‑missing public‑health campaigns, diseases such as malaria, measles, polio and HIV are set to rise again.
Former development minister Svenja Schulze, who is also president of the aid organisation Help, highlighted Europe’s responsibility. “The fact that Europe is also cutting aid is exactly the opposite of what is needed” she said. Schulze pointed out the irony that the 2026 budget cuts were not even partially rolled back. While the amount earmarked for humanitarian aid and development cooperation is comparatively small, its impact is worldwide; “a bit more German commitment would help countless people”.