In a testimony before the House Foreign Affairs Committee on May 21, Secretary of State Marco Rubio asserted, “No one has died because of USAID [cuts]” in reference to the cessation of billions of dollars in U.S. support for global health programs.
This declaration was met with skepticism from individuals deeply affected by the aid cuts, including Mariam Mohammed, a widowed mother from Nigeria who recently lost her son due to disruptions in vital medical services.
Mariam recounts the heartbreaking story of her 7-year-old son, Babagana Bukar Mohammed, who died amid the chaos caused by the halt in U.S. foreign aid.
Living in Bama, Nigeria — a town that has seen its share of violence from Boko Haram — she relied on a local clinic funded by USAID for her son’s medical needs.
Babagana was a cheerful boy who loved riding his bike but suffered from sickle cell disease, a severe condition that necessitated prompt medical attention when complications arose.
On the night of February 2, Mariam noticed that Babagana had developed a fever.
Desperate for help, she rushed him to the local clinic, just over a mile from their home, only to find it closed due to a stop-work order issued by the Trump administration less than two weeks prior.
The clinic, which had been the busiest healthcare facility in the area, was forced to pause operations as part of a broader review of USAID contracts and programs, leaving families like Mariam’s without crucial access to medical care.
With the clinic allowed to reopen in April after funding was reinstated, it was too late for Babagana, whose symptoms may have been treatable had he received proper care in time.
Upon discovering the clinic’s gates shut, Mariam recalled feeling a mix of shock and anger as she stood helplessly outside with her sick son.
That night, Babagana succumbed to his illness.
Mariam expressed to NPR her heartache, stating, “I didn’t have money to take him to a local government clinic, which charges for medical care.”
Dr. Edifre Jacob, Babagana’s physician from the closed clinic, lamented that he could not pinpoint the exact cause of the boy’s death but felt confident that they could have provided the necessary treatment to save him.
“We are sure we would have done something to save the patient,” Jacob remarked, emphasizing the clinic’s ability to manage cases of sickle cell disease effectively.
Medical experts corroborate this; Dr. Natasha Archer, who oversees the sickle cell program at Boston Children’s Hospital, explained the urgent need for quick medical intervention in such cases.
She highlighted the risk of serious complications, such as sepsis, underscoring that with timely medical care, many patients can recover successfully.
In light of the numerous stories of loss attributed to foreign aid reductions, various lawmakers raised concerns during the congressional hearings.
Representative Brad Sherman mentioned other tragic cases, referencing a child in Myanmar who could not receive oxygen and another in South Sudan who was denied essential HIV medications due to the budget cuts.
Senator Jeff Merkley pointed to research conducted by a team at Boston University that estimates the staggering toll these aid cuts have taken on human lives, suggesting significant mortality among vulnerable populations.
Brooke Nichols, who spearheaded the project, reiterated the challenges of monitoring mortality rates in low- and middle-income countries where health data collection systems are weak due to a lack of funding.
After some analysis, Nichols and her team estimate that over 96,000 adults and 200,000 infants and children have already lost their lives due to the disruption in aid that began on January 24.
Nichols acknowledged the difficulty of providing accurate estimates and the numerous variables at play, such as the potential for other organizations to fill gaps left by U.S. aid.
Despite the uncertainties, she firmly believes that the numbers indicate a grave situation.
Secretary Rubio dismissed the concerns raised during the hearings and the death toll estimates, labeling them as exaggerated.
He defended his claims by asserting that a significant percentage of people dependent on programs like PEPFAR were still able to access care, although he did not clarify the basis for his assertion about the 85% statistic.
Contrarily, health experts like John Stover, vice president of Avenir Health, expressed skepticism about the feasibility of that figure, illustrating the breakdown of aid mechanisms that were vital for servicing these health programs.
Nichols, open to revising her estimates, requested updated information regarding ongoing programs still providing aid, hoping that such transparency would enhance the accuracy of future assessments.
In the wake of these tragic events, Mariam Mohammed lives in fear for her other son, 9-year-old Umar, who also suffers from sickle cell disease.
While relieved that the clinic has reopened, she remains acutely aware of the fragility of the healthcare system in her community and prays that USAID programs will be allowed to continue.
Umar poignantly shared his feelings about his brother, stating simply that he misses playing with Babagana.
This narrative illustrates the life-and-death consequences of policy decisions and underscores the urgent need to prioritize global health initiatives to protect vulnerable populations across the globe.
Mariam’s story captures not just her personal tragedy but a larger crisis affecting countless families reliant on foreign aid for their very survival.
image source from：https://www.npr.org/sections/goats-and-soda/2025/05/28/g-s1-69186/marco-rubio-usaid-death-sickle-cell-nigeria
