Bill Gates Warns Aid Cuts Could Fuel Surge in Child Deaths, Blames Musk’s DOGE

Bill Gates Warns Aid Cuts Could Reverse Progress on Child Mortality, Blames Musk’s DOGE.

Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has warned that global child deaths are set to rise for the first time this century due to sharp cuts in international aid by wealthy nations. In an interview with AFP, Gates described the reversal as “tragic,” cautioning that progress made since the early 2000s is now at risk.

Gates specifically criticized the United States, blaming Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for halting USAID grants. “This move is responsible for a lot of deaths,” he said. Britain, France, and Germany have also cut aid disproportionately, he added.

According to the Gates Foundation’s Goalkeepers report, under-five deaths are projected to rise to 4.8 million in 2025, an increase of 200,000 from last year. Global aid to developing nations has fallen 27 percent this year, threatening progress against HIV, malaria, polio, and other preventable diseases. Gates warned that if current cuts of around 30 percent continue, it could result in 16 million additional child deaths by 2045.

Gates criticized the “chaotic” dismantling of USAID under the Trump administration and expressed hope of encouraging the former president to restore aid. He also expressed concern over the US failing to renew funding for the Gavi vaccine alliance, highlighting misinformation spread by US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Despite the setbacks, Gates expressed cautious optimism. He said new medical tools — including RSV and pneumonia vaccines and the twice-yearly HIV-prevention injection lenacapavir — could help reduce child mortality within five years.

Gates, who plans to donate his entire fortune by 2045, remains a leading voice in global health. Analysts note that as government aid declines, his influence in shaping healthcare priorities worldwide is likely to grow, though private philanthropy alone cannot fill the widening gap.