Aid cuts that have weakened global health security risk worsening the current Ebola outbreak in East Africa, the ONE Campaign warns today, as new analysis shows aid cuts could result in one child dying every 35 seconds by 2030 and progress on child survival is stalling.

The warning comes as Ebola cases have been confirmed beyond the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in Uganda, with rising deaths and the World Health Organization declaring a public health emergency of international concern.

The UK Government previously contributed £25 million to the Pandemic Fund, which helps countries detect and stop outbreaks before they spread, but that funding has now been cut as part of wider reductions in Official Development Assistance to 0.3% of GNI. 

Even the Government’s own assessment recognised that this reduction would increase the risk of outbreaks that disproportionately affect the most vulnerable, such as the one we are seeing today. 

This is alongside global health funding cuts affecting the World Health Organization, Gavi, the Global Fund and the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Adrian Lovett, UK Executive Director of the ONE Campaign, said:

“The recent outbreak and rapid spread of Ebola is a stark reminder of why global health security matters. Infectious diseases do not respect borders, and when global health funding is reduced, countries are less able to identify and contain outbreaks.

There is strong health leadership in Africa, including coordinated efforts involving the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. But countries like the UK need to get behind that leadership. Because of cuts from the UK and other donors in recent years, we are less able to do that now than we were.

The Hope Report we released this week shows what is at stake. We know what works to tackle these challenges. With the right investment and by backing African leadership, we can get on top of these problems. 

Our new analysis shows aid cuts could result in one child dying every 35 seconds by 2030, equivalent to 5.4 million additional child deaths that would likely not have occurred without these reductions. This is on top of almost 4.9 million children already dying each year.”

The Hope Report 2026: A Chance For Every Child was launched this week as the UK government hosted the Global Partnerships Conference in London.

Notes to Editors: 

• The Hope Report 2026: A Chance For Every Child is published by the ONE Campaign in partnership with Project Everyone.
• The analysis shows aid cuts could result in one child dying every 35 seconds by 2030, equivalent to 5.4 million additional child deaths, based on modelling published in The Lancet.
• Almost 4.9 million children already die every year before their fifth birthday, almost all from preventable or treatable causes.

About The ONE Campaign:  

ONE is a global, nonpartisan organization advocating for the investments needed to create economic opportunities and healthier lives in Africa. Since 2004, we have helped secure more than $1 trillion in new investments to build a safer, more prosperous world. Our trusted advocacy combines hard-hitting data, grassroots activism and political engagement to influence decision-makers and drive lasting change. Learn more at ONE.org. 

Contact: [email protected] / 07462256646