US Budget Proposal Threatens 124-Year Partnership with PAHO Amid Hemispheric Health Crisis
The US administration’s FY2027 budget request proposes eliminating funding for the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), the oldest multilateral health body in the world. This move threatens a 124-year partnership and risks crippling disease surveillance in the Western Hemisphere. PAHO has already cut its budget by 17% and reduced staff by nearly 200 positions due to unpaid US dues of $135 million. A bipartisan coalition of former officials warns that defunding PAHO leaves a vacuum in regional health security, as USAID and CDC offices have been shuttered or are uncertain. Critics argue that diseases like dengue and avian flu do not respect borders, making regional cooperation essential for US national security. Congress may still appropriate funds, as some lawmakers have opposed the administration’s rescission efforts.