Global Aid Cuts: India's Resilience Amid a Looming Healthcare Crisis

A new study published in Lancet Global Health has sparked a debate among Indian health experts concerning the potential effects of significant reductions in global development assistance. The study indicates that such financial cutbacks could reverse health advancements and result in millions of additional deaths worldwide.

Conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health with support from The Rockefeller Foundation, the research projects that scaling back official development assistance (ODA) could lead to 22.6 million more deaths by 2030 across 93 countries, including India. The report highlights the positive impact of aid between 2002 and 2021, notably a 39% reduction in child mortality and a 70% decrease in HIV/AIDS fatalities.

Dr. Rajeev Jayadevan, former President of IMA Cochin, noted that while India will require program restructuring, a reduction in foreign aid won't collapse essential health schemes. India's healthcare spending surpasses 120 billion USD annually, with foreign aid constituting less than 1% of this budget. The country remains largely insulated from global aid fluctuations, relying on its robust domestic health financing and infrastructure developments.