A $45 Treatment Can Save a Starving Child. US Aid Cuts Have Frozen the Supply

The article discusses the impact of U.S. aid cuts on the global supply of a therapeutic food treatment that can save the lives of starving children. The dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has disrupted the supply chain that provides this $45 treatment, putting thousands of malnourished children at risk of dying. The article highlights the importance of this treatment, known as ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), in addressing severe acute malnutrition, a leading cause of child mortality in many developing countries. The cuts in U.S. aid have affected the production and distribution of RUTF, leaving aid organizations and local governments struggling to meet the growing demand. The article emphasizes the dire consequences of these aid cuts, as the disruption in the RUTF supply chain could lead to the preventable deaths of thousands of children. It underscores the need for a coordinated global response to address this crisis and ensure that life-saving treatments are available to those in dire need.