At least eight people, including five children, have died in South Sudan while attempting to reach treatment for cholera, after U.S. aid cuts forced the closure of critical health facilities in the region. The deaths, which occurred in March, highlight the devastating impact of reduced humanitarian funding on vulnerable populations, according to the UK-based aid organization Save the Children.
The victims reportedly endured a grueling three-hour walk under blistering 40°C heat after local clinics shut down due to lack of funding. With no access to transport services previously provided through U.S. support, they were left with no choice but to make the journey on foot. None survived.
The health facilities were located in eastern South Sudan’s Jonglei State, one of the hardest-hit areas by the country’s recurring humanitarian crises. Save the Children had supported 27 facilities in the region until earlier this year, when U.S. cuts forced seven to close completely and 20 to operate only partially.
“These deaths were preventable,” said Christopher Nyamandi, Save the Children’s country director in South Sudan. “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.”
“America First” Agenda Impacts Foreign Aid
The aid cuts are part of a broader shift in U.S. foreign policy under President Donald Trump. Shortly after assuming office, the Trump administration moved to reduce foreign aid spending, arguing that American taxpayer funds should not be used to support foreign governments or programs that do not align with U.S. strategic interests.
As part of these measures, more than 90 percent of USAID’s contracts in South Sudan were reportedly cancelled. The cuts were justified by the administration as necessary to curb corruption and ensure more responsible use of U.S. resources abroad.
“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,” said a spokesperson for the U.S. State Department. However, the spokesperson also noted that many emergency aid programs remained active, and declined to comment directly on the reported deaths.
Mounting Health Crisis Amid Cholera Outbreak
The aid cuts come as South Sudan battles a growing cholera outbreak, declared in October 2024. More than 22,000 cases have been recorded as of last month, with hundreds of deaths confirmed, according to the World Health Organization. The true toll is likely higher, as access to remote areas remains difficult and many deaths go unreported.
Cholera, a preventable and treatable disease, thrives in areas with poor sanitation, unsafe water, and limited healthcare access—conditions that are widespread in conflict-affected South Sudan. Aid agencies warn that unless immediate action is taken to restore and expand health services, more lives will be lost.
Humanitarian Funding Shrinks as Needs Grow
In addition to the U.S. cuts, South Sudan is facing a broader decline in international support. Save the Children announced that it expects to spend just $30 million in South Sudan in 2025, down from $50 million last year. This funding drop comes at a time when humanitarian needs are rapidly rising.
Over one-third of the country’s population—about 4 million people—have been displaced by conflict or climate-related disasters. Many are living in overcrowded camps or remote areas with little to no access to basic services.
The United Nations has warned that South Sudan may be on the brink of renewed civil war, following an outbreak of fighting in the northeast earlier this year. Humanitarian organizations fear that the convergence of conflict, disease, and aid reductions could result in a catastrophe on a much larger scale.
A Call for Global Responsibility
Save the Children and other aid agencies are urging the international community to reconsider the consequences of scaling back aid to fragile states like South Sudan. While concerns about corruption and accountability are legitimate, humanitarian actors argue that the solution should not come at the expense of civilian lives.
“The cost of inaction is far too high,” said Nyamandi. “These children didn’t die because there was no cure for cholera. They died because help never came.”