USAID Cuts Could Double Tuberculosis Deaths, Warns John Green

The US government's decision to dismantle USAID has sparked concerns about a potential surge in tuberculosis deaths. Author John Green, in a recent interview on The Daily Show, highlighted the devastating consequences of this policy. "The estimates are that within two years, we might see two million people dying instead of over a million," Green stated, emphasizing the drastic increase in projected fatalities. This comes after two decades of progress in reducing TB deaths, thanks in large part to US funding. Green's personal experience in Sierra Leone, where he met a young boy battling drug-resistant TB, underscored the human cost of these decisions. The interview serves as a stark reminder of the ongoing global health crisis and the importance of sustained international cooperation to combat infectious diseases.