NEWS & POLITICS
U.S. to destroy millions of contraceptives meant for Sub-Saharan Africa
Donald Trump's administration has recently come under fire for a plan to destroy a $10 million consignment of medical supplies, including contraceptives earmarked for women in sub-Saharan Africa.
Staff Writer 
Stored in Belgium, the stockpile includes implants, long-acting contraceptives, and intrauterine devices alongside $800,000 worth of high-energy biscuits sufficient to feed at least 1.5 million children for a week.
During an interview with Agence France-Presse (AFP), Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot confirmed his country is holding the supply and appealed to the U.S. not to carry out the destruction, “We continue through diplomatic channels to vigorously advocate against such waste,” he added.
The U.S. State Department spokesperson defended the move, claiming there was no “eligible buyer” for the contraceptives and citing laws that prohibit sending U.S. aid linked to abortion. However, A U.S. government official later confirmed that most of the contraceptives retain 70% of their shelf life and will not expire until 2027, and notably, two-thirds of the consignment did not bear the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) logo.
Countries that were set to benefit from these contraceptives include Kenya, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Nigeria, Tanzania, Sierra Leone, Ethiopia and Mali.
Critics widely view this act as Trump's latest effort to dismantle USAID. According to a recent Lancet study, Trump's cuts to the agency could lead to 14 million additional deaths by 2030, among them 4.5 million children.
