Tesla founder and prominent tech entrepreneur, Elon Musk, has revealed that the US Government unintentionally killed Ebola initiatives.
He made the statement at a US Cabinet meeting where he said the Department of Government Efficiency had recently slashed jobs and programs.
Musk acknowledged mistakes can happen and any error would be fixed quickly. He said one of the unintended consequences was the cancellation of Ebola prevention measures.
He added this happened at the same time as the US development aid agency, USAID, was being cut.
The billionaire said, “I think we all want Ebola prevention. So we turned Ebola prevention back on immediately and there was no interruption.”
He said if the government is going to hit its deficit reduction target of a trillion dollars in 2026 they need to save four billion dollars a day until the end of September. He noted that he is confident the government can do it.
Ebola is a highly contagious and deadly disease that poses a big risk to public health. It’s transmitted through direct contact and bodily fluids.
This is a big health issue so governments and international organisations are investing a lot in prevention and rapid response.
For example during past Ebola outbreaks in West Africa, early intervention was key to reducing transmission.
USAID, one of the largest humanitarian aid agencies in the world, plays a big role in delivering aid to countries in crisis. It has around 10,000 staff and nearly two-thirds of its workforce is based abroad.
The agency is responsible for disbursing a big chunk of the US government’s humanitarian aid to developing countries.
Recently the Trump administration stopped USAID’s operations. The agency’s staff were put on leave and its funds were frozen in January.
This was done pending an internal review and affected many global programs.
This has sparked a lot of debate among experts and commentators on the broader implications for international aid and public health.
Analysts say uninterrupted funding for emergency prevention measures is crucial especially with emerging infectious diseases.
According to the World Health Organisation, research shows rapid response and funding is key to containing outbreaks.
Musk’s comments highlight the fine line between fiscal responsibility and public health imperatives. His comments are a reminder administrative errors can have big consequences.And it shows the challenges of big government.
Reducing the deficit is necessary for long term economic stability but must be done carefully so as not to compromise essential services.
This is an opportunity for policy makers to review their strategies and make sure vital prevention programs are protected.