Christian aid organisations are demanding that Germany increase its spending on global health after one year of the USAID cut.
Dagmar Pruin, president of the evangelical aid group Brot für die Welt and of Diakonie Katastrophenhilfe, told the “Rheinische Post” (Monday edition) that the cancellation of USAID could have been a pivotal moment for the international community to unite. “That opportunity has been squandered” she said. “The German government must not stand by as this collapse continues; it must boost the budget for global health by a substantial margin. Only then can the catastrophic gaps in care be closed”.
Caritas International’s head, Oliver Müller, warned that the recent worldwide down‑scaling of humanitarian aid and development cooperation – including cuts in Germany – endangers the gains made in global health. “We’re now facing long‑term repercussions” he explained. “Research, vaccination programmes and the health services that many people depend on have suddenly lost billions. The poorest are hit the hardest”. He added that without continued public‑health campaigns disease rates are rising again, with malaria, measles, polio and HIV trending upward once more.
Former German Development Minister Svenja Schulze, now chair of the aid organisation Help, said that Europe’s own budgetary reductions are exactly the opposite of what is needed. The SPD politician highlighted that the 2026 federal budget still leaves humanitarian aid and development cooperation largely untouched. “These areas are small in absolute terms but their global impact is enormous. A modest increase in German commitment could help countless people worldwide”.
