In a significant move, the Trump administration has announced the termination of the Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS) program, a critical source of health data for nearly half of the globe. Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the DHS has provided indispensable information on maternal and child health, nutrition, and disease metrics across 90 low- and middle-income countries. This information has been instrumental for these nations to set health benchmarks and align with the United Nations’ 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
According to an email obtained by The New York Times, the cessation of the program is effective immediately, with directives issued to halt all operations and subcontracting. The freeze on foreign aid during the Trump administration has led to this critical juncture, resulting in anticipated layoffs within USAID and other health initiatives.
Public health experts have criticized the dismantling of the DHS program. Win Brown, a renowned demographer from the University of Washington, voiced concerns about the absence of reliable data for planning, monitoring, and executing public health interventions. "It’s really challenging for me to understand how you could implement thoughtful programs in public health and monitor progress toward strategic goals if you don’t have the kind of data that are available from the DHS," he stated.
Without the continuation of the DHS, the ability to track health outcomes and measure the impact of the funding cuts on nations with limited health infrastructure faces unprecedented challenges. The ramifications of this decision could severely compromise public health initiatives, leaving many communities vulnerable to health crises due to the lack of essential data.
