AP; USAID Fallout Leads To Deaths In Nepal

GAUR, Nepal (AP) — The Associated Press has found that the decision by the United States to slash its foreign aid funding last year has increased pregnancy complications and deaths in Nepal. The AP interviewed health workers, government officials, aid workers and families who said cuts to programs that ensured uneducated, impoverished pregnant women got proper nutrition and prenatal care have led to more babies and pregnant women dying preventable deaths. Because of global cuts to foreign aid, the Gates Foundation has predicted that 2025 will be the first year this century where child deaths will increase. The U.S. State Department says it still supports programs in Nepal aimed at improving maternal and child health.