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Message: [QUOTE="Nehanda, post: 26359, member: 2262"] USAID slashed funding for the Baylor College of Medicine Children's Foundation Uganda in a stunning blow that has rocked healthcare initiatives across the country! The bombshell decision came straight from U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who doubles as USAID Administrator and works alongside Peter W. Marocco, who juggles the duties of both Deputy Administrators. The devastating termination notice declared the program "not aligned with Agency priorities" and claimed "continuing this program is not in the national interest." This earth-shattering verdict came down from the highest echelons of USAID leadership, demanding immediate cessation of all activities, termination of sub-awards and contracts, and a strict ban on additional spending beyond unavoidable shutdown costs. USAID ordered Baylor Uganda to notify all sub-recipients and contractors to halt operations immediately. Baylor Uganda has served as the backbone for pediatric and maternal healthcare, HIV/AIDS treatment, and essential medical services in underserved communities for years. The sudden funding cutoff threatens to pull the rug out from under vulnerable populations who desperately rely on these life-saving initiatives. This shocking move unfolds amid President Donald Trump's sweeping suspension of U.S. foreign assistance, which has already triggered massive disruptions across multiple aid programs throughout Africa. International and local NGOs face brutal choices—suspending projects, terminating contracts, and laying off staff. Programs focusing on gender rights, reproductive health, and community-based development have taken the hardest hits despite exemptions for certain life-saving humanitarian aid. The funding demolition creates a gaping void in Uganda's health sector, which has long depended on donor funding to stay afloat. No alternative funding sources have materialized to plug the massive hole left by USAID's retreat. Despite promises of detailed instructions about implementing the termination, thousands of beneficiaries served by Baylor Uganda face a frightening future as critical healthcare services hang by a thread. [/QUOTE]

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