Vox: Trump vs. “disease X”
“…Current proposals from the Trump White House would slash funding for foreign aid and U.S. public health agencies. And that is expected to have a ripple effect around the world. … Countries can’t isolate themselves from the flow of disease across borders, and fighting and preventing pandemics requires cross-border collaboration and cooperation. … Putting aside the Trump administration’s fumbling on public health leadership, its ‘America First’ mentality, and its proposed funding cuts — there’s a larger structural problem that is greater than the president or any administration. ‘The bigger issue is the ability of governments and organizations to put money into preparedness,’ [Jennifer Kates, vice president and director of global health and HIV policy at the Kaiser Family Foundation,] summed up…” (Belluz, 2/26).