A recent study led by Stanford University highlights the devastating effects of foreign aid sanctions on maternal and child health, revealing that cuts in official development assistance (ODA) can significantly increase death rates among mothers, children, and infants. The research, which spans three decades of sanctions on foreign aid, estimates that aid restrictions lasting five years or more can reverse up to 64% of progress made in reducing maternal mortality, 29% in decreasing infant mortality, and 26% for children under five.
The groundbreaking study, the first of its kind to examine the global impact of foreign aid sanctions on human health, particularly maternal and child health, was initiated in 2022. The authors urge governments to consider the unintended humanitarian consequences of their foreign policy decisions, advocating for waivers on life-saving programs to protect vulnerable populations.
“Foreign policy can advance national interests while simultaneously safeguarding the health of mothers and children,” said Ruth Gibson, the lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at Stanford Health Policy. “Our goal was to use advanced analytic techniques to assess the impact of these geopolitical tools and offer clear policy recommendations for governments contemplating aid sanctions or reductions.”
Published in The Lancet Global Health, the study adds to an ongoing international dialogue about the ramifications of restricting foreign aid. In the U.S., lawmakers are exploring ways to mitigate the negative impacts of these sanctions, particularly in light of the ongoing debate surrounding the future of USAID and its effects on global health.
Methodology: A Decade of Data Analysis
Gibson, who has over a decade of experience working on maternal and child health for foreign health ministries and humanitarian organizations, was deeply concerned by the toll aid sanctions took on women and children’s health. In 2022, she launched the study as part of her postdoctoral research at the Stanford Center for Innovation in Global Health, assembling a multidisciplinary team from Stanford, Drexel University, and the University of Washington.
The team analyzed data from 1990 to 2019, examining the impact of aid sanctions on maternal and child mortality. They compiled a unique dataset on aid sanctions and explored how reductions in foreign assistance affected health spending and mortality rates. The findings revealed that sanctions reduced health care spending by an average of 2.4%, leading to increases in mortality rates: 6.4% for mothers, 3.6% for children under five, and 3.1% for infants.
Controlling for External Variables
The researchers employed advanced econometric methods to account for various external factors that might influence mortality, such as changes in GDP, conflict-related deaths, and other forms of sanctions. By comparing countries subjected to sanctions with those that never experienced them, they ensured the robustness of their results, providing open-source files to allow further testing and validation of their findings.
Policy Recommendations for Life-Saving Interventions
The study’s authors propose several policy interventions to minimize the health impact of aid sanctions while maintaining national security objectives. They recommend that lawmakers considering changes to foreign aid commitments incorporate health-related questions into their deliberations. Additionally, they suggest conducting fragility assessments in conflict-affected countries, particularly addressing issues like food insecurity and displacement.
“In a world where disease knows no borders, the stability and health of populations worldwide serve our national interests,” said Michele Barry, Stanford’s senior associate dean of global health and a co-author of the study. “This research demonstrates that foreign aid can be strategically shaped to advance national goals while minimizing harm to vulnerable groups.”
The study underscores the urgent need for policymakers to balance geopolitical interests with the well-being of the most vulnerable populations, ensuring that foreign aid sanctions do not undermine progress in global health.
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