Global aid cuts are putting health outcomes in the region at risk. Is this the most critical gap Australia should fill and how?

Jul 7, 2025

IDIE’s Associate Professor Meru Sheel spoke to the Development Intelligence Lab’s The Intel highlighting the significant yet often overlooked impact of global aid cuts on health systems in the Indo-Pacific region. While these cuts may be smaller in scale compared to other regions, they have led to disruptions in humanitarian aid and emergency response efforts, as noted in a World Health Organization report. Sheel emphasised that the erosion of health systems not only jeopardises immediate health outcomes but also undermines long-term development goals. She advocates for Australia to play a proactive role in strengthening regional health systems by investing in sustainable health infrastructure and ensuring that health remains a central focus in development initiatives.

Discover how Australia’s engagement can shape the future of health in the Indo-Pacific— read the full article here.

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