Responding to the announcement from the Prime Minister that the international aid budget is to be cut from 0.5% of GNI to 0.3%, RCN Associate Director: International Nursing, Marcus Wootton, said:

 

“Cutting overseas aid will further damage global health projects and make us more vulnerable to the global health threats of the future. Stronger health systems, with nurses at their centre, reduce instability, and support more stable societies.  

 

“These cuts have real world impacts, be it the nurse not educated, the vaccination not given, the ambulance not provided, or the patient not treated.  

 

“The WHO predicts a shortfall of 4.5 million nurses by 2030 and international aid is fundamental in building effective health and care systems around the globe. The previous government’s cuts to aid brought the UK below the UN’s target of 0.7% and has already cost global health projects £1.3bn between 2021 and 2023. Coupled with major cuts to aid last month from the US, today’s announcement will only make matters worse.

 

“The Prime Minister is right to highlight the UK’s key humanitarian and development role. That is why it is essential he delivers on his manifesto promise to restore spending to the UN target of 0.7% of GNI. Instead, his government will now be delivering less than half of it.”  

 

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