Aid Cuts Amplified Ebola Crisis, Slowing the Response

Slate columnist Jill Filipovic argues that the Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak is worsening because U.S. funding cuts and the dismantling of global health programs, especially USAID, have eroded surveillance, sample transport, lab capacity, and frontline health networks in Africa. That erosion delayed detection and response, undermined trust in communities, and left response systems underprepared for rapid testing and humanitarian action. The piece highlights the need to rebuild public health infrastructure, ensure reliable testing, and maintain strong international collaboration to contain the outbreak and protect broader U.S. and global interests.