from Hacker News

Doge cuts to USAid blamed for 300k deaths – most of them children

by mnewme on 5/31/25, 8:13 AM with 58 comments

  • by perihelions on 5/31/25, 9:58 AM

  • by cadamsdotcom on 5/31/25, 10:33 AM

    First to get this out of the way, I do not support the destruction of USAID and I definitely do not support the death of 300,000 people.

    This study brings to light a hidden problem of countries and individuals dependent on foreign aid. There should’ve been plans in place to reduce foreign aid dependency over time. Yes provide aid as needed & appropriate, but work out what it’ll take for the country to not need it and try to get there.. Otherwise a sudden halt of aid can lead to, well, exactly this.

    It seems from the outside there was just “money from the sky” from USAID. Without strings attached you’d expect systems to organize to grab free money and countries become dependent..

    Is there something I don’t know?

  • by sunshine-o on 5/31/25, 12:03 PM

    Something I have been wondering for a few years now before the whole DOGE, USAID thing.

    When the war in Ukraine started I heard Africa was relying on imports for food up to 85%.

    There are no word to describe how horrifying this is. To this day I still cannot believe it. 50% would sound intolerable to me.

    My question is: do we have reliable data on this ? flow of food to and within Africa?

    Also, if this is true, how can we deny the absolute failure of the West but also Russian and Chinese development efforts in Africa over the last 50+ years. I do understand that wars can disrupt those efforts but the whole continent is not constantly at war.

  • by rimbo789 on 5/31/25, 10:52 AM

    Doge was a bad idea done poorly. It served no purpose other than to hurt people and win some headlines.

    We will be feeling the consequences for years to come.

  • by JohnTHaller on 5/31/25, 6:45 PM

    Link in case the pro-Musk flag brigade gets this removed: https://www.thetimes.com/us/american-politics/article/usaid-...

  • by derelicta on 5/31/25, 11:39 AM

    Honestly, considering the instabilities that came with USaid coups and other "regime change initiatives", I wouldn't be surprised if the real number would much much higher. Ultimately, that the US is closing down one of its CIA assets is a major positive for world peace and stability. I'm afraid what Oligarchs are gonna replace it with tho.

  • by encom on 5/31/25, 10:34 AM

    >The numbers are not recorded deaths, but rather predictions. “They’re modelled numbers and I recognise the limitations that that comes with,” she said. “We don’t have routine data sets that we can measure someone as ‘killed by the US lack of funding’.”

    Why are journos so dishonest?

  • by siilats on 5/31/25, 4:56 PM

    You have to understand that Boston University is not a real school. Even the article says “ She readily recognises the shortcomings of her modelling. The numbers are not recorded deaths, but rather predictions. “They’re modelled numbers and I recognise the limitations that that comes with,” she said. “We don’t have routine data sets that we can measure someone as ‘killed by the US lack of funding’.”. Doge Cuts are necessary so the USA doesnt default on it’s debt