Bill Gates Criticizes Western Nations for Aid Cuts Leading to Increased Child Mortality
Microsoft co-founder and philanthropist Bill Gates has expressed concern over the increase in child mortality rates worldwide, attributing this rise to significant cuts in international aid by wealthy Western countries. Gates highlighted that the United States has made the deepest cuts, with the US Department of Government Efficiency being blamed for contributing to these deaths. Other countries such as Britain, France, and Germany have also reduced their aid disproportionately. According to the Gates Foundation's annual Goalkeepers report, the number of children dying before their fifth birthday is projected to increase to 4.8 million this year, up by 200,000 from 2024. Gates emphasized the tragedy of seeing child mortality rise after years of decline, noting that aid for developing countries has dropped by 27 percent this year, threatening progress against diseases like malaria, HIV, and polio. 
