Indonesian Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin announced that his country’s health programs with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) are currently suspended and it is unclear whether this will be permanent. The development is linked to the administration of US President Donald Trump’s plans to merge USAID with the State Department to reduce staffing and align spending with its “America First” policy.
The suspension of USAID’s activities in Indonesia could negatively impact the country’s fight against HIV and tuberculosis (TB). TB cases in particular have increased in recent years, with the Ministry of Health reporting more than 1 million cases in 2023. USAID has invested $800 million in Indonesia since 2020, playing a key role in fighting diseases like HIV and TB. Minister Sadikin said that projects with USAID have not been halted, but suspended, adding that it may take 90 days to clarify the situation. He also emphasized that, in addition to USAID, Indonesia also receives medicines from the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, of which the United States is the largest donor.
