The World Health Organization's chief says deaths from HIV, malaria and other diseases will surge if the US drastically cuts foreign aid.



WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus told reporters in Switzerland on Monday that his organization is already seeing the impact of reductions in such assistance by the Trump administration.



The US president has moved to slash health spending, including suspending foreign aid provided through the United States Agency for International Development. It will also terminate about 80 percent of USAID projects.



Tedros said disruptions to the supply of medicines is severe and will hit especially hard as Africa struggles with a high number of HIV cases. He said such cuts could lead to 3 million HIV-related deaths, more than triple the number last year.



On malaria, Tedros said disruptions to the supply of bed nets and other provisions could reverse years of progress and cause an additional 107,000 deaths from malaria.



The head of the UN health agency said the US has a responsibility "to ensure that if it withdraws direct funding for countries, it's done in an orderly and humane way that allows them to find alternative sources of funding." He asked the US to reconsider its support levels for global health.