Goats and soda: NPR

Dr. Jean Kasei, General Director of African Centers for Control and Prevention of Diseases, photographed NPR at the headquarters during a visit to Washington, the District of Colombia, in March. After the reduction in foreign assistance of the Trump administration, he tells his colleagues: “As if you are a child. You had a rich father. Once you wake up, and they say: “Oh, your father has an accident. He left. ” Then you must survive.

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When the message to WhatsApp appeared, Dr. Jin Kasei looked at him and rejected him. It was at the end of January, and the message was about President Trump’s plan Freeze almost all foreign assistance Waiting for a review.

“It was a joke” Kazy Remember to think to himself. He is the general director of African centers for the control and prevention of diseases. The Congolese doctor with a specialty in the field of epidemiology and health of the community, he served in this role since the beginning of 2023.

Soon, Kasey and the rest of the world, it became clear that Trump freezing was not a joke – and a few weeks after freezing ended in Constant cessation assistance for the main part of the programs funded by the US agency for international development.

The consequences for Africa are huge. In 2024, Africa south of Sakhara received more than 12.7 billion dollars. The United States for foreign assistance directly from the United States in reality, this figure is even more, if we consider the US health care programs funded by the United States. Where African countries are the main beneficiary.

Kaseya now helps to manage the continent through this unexpected and unknown landscape.

He visited the NPR in March – and was disappointed that he was supposed to leave in front of a tiny concert on the rack. In a 30-minute conversation, he spoke about his strategy in the future, about his problems that are not related to a fee, and how all this affects his sleep and personal relations.

These are the main points of the transformation that were edited for clarity and length.

How do you explain the abbreviations of help to those who affect the most?

“[African] Leaders call me. They ask: “What can we do?”

“The fact that I have to tell them:“ It looks like you are a child. You had a rich father. Once you wake up, and they say: “Oh, your father got into an accident. He left. ” Then you must survive.

“And it’s not only in the USA [to cut aid] This began in the United States, other wealthy countries of the world followed, European countriesField

“So I think this is awakening. What we do today in Africa is to say: “How can we perceive this as an opportunity? “Yes, we suffer – but this is also an opportunity to rethink how African countries take the initiative. So, [Nigerian government] Provided Additional 1 billion dollars to the budget of health. We do not say: “We cover the gap.” But we can say: “We soften the influence of cutting of help.”

What is your message for African countries?

“From 2021 to 2025, we are moving from $ 81 billion [annual] Almost 25 billion dollars of foreign health care in Africa. This is a huge decrease – a decrease of 70%. And when you have such a huge decrease, you cannot wake up once and say: “I [can] Cover it [cost]. ‘You need to work. You need to start redeeming everything you do. You must devote the priority where people’s lives are at risk.

“There are some African countries that bring more. But for a number of countries, they are completely dependent on external support. Therefore, when you stop helping today, they do not have a mechanism to restore.

“But we made it clear to our leaders that foreign assistance would not continue, as in the past. Therefore, while we say, thanks [to donor countries for what has been contributed]We also say [African] Government: “You must take care of your people.”

“I say to all African countries:“ Before contacting partners, show how much you contribute to your answer. ” Such a country as the Democratic Republic of the Congo – this was the first time that out of $ 40 million out of $ 40 million [needed] To fight MPOX, they said: “We will put $ 10 million.” This was the first time I saw such a contribution. “

Dr. Jean Kasei, CEO of CDC Africa, says that the work has changed his life. He says that he and his colleagues are “reserved”, but adds, “we study every day. Where I was more interested in response [before]Today I am not in a hurry. ”

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What is your message to America?

“Africa will be 2.5 billion people in 2050. It will be [continent with the] The largest population in the world. And the USA, they need this market. There are more middle -class people, because there are more Africans are [becoming] Educated, and they earn money.

“My message to my colleagues and my friends in the USA: we are open. If they are looking for friends, there is Africa.

“And in the field of health, one of the main lessons that we learned from Covid is not protected if your neighbor is not [protected]The country’s approach will not solve the problem. A flash that will begin somewhere will be quickly in other countries. ”

When do you think about impending health threats, what else is on your mind?

“In Africa, from 2022 to 2024, we saw an increase of 40% from the point of view [infectious disease] flashes. We crossed from 152 to more than 242 outbreaks in just two years. This is huge.

“We have an environment where, in the first, there is an increase in flashes. Secondly, there is a change in climate. Thirdly, there is uncertainty. In -fourth, there are no resources. We are building the basis for another pandemic.

“The risk is huge. How do you want us to answer all these outbreaks if you do not have vaccines if you do not have medicines if you do not have diagnosis if you do not have human resources if you do not have stable health systems? ”

What is it like to be the head of Africa CDC?

“When I submitted an application for this position, I did not know that my life would change like this. You do not have your personal life. I need to sleep for three or four hours at night.

“Every day you have something. Just to give an example, in January we had 82 outbreaks [in Africa]What does it mean? This means that you have almost two or three new outbreaks per day, and you must be able to answer this. My colleagues, they are simply transferred, because every day we need to run everywhere.

“But this is also a school of maturity. We study every day. Where I was more striving to react [before]I am not in a hurry today. “