A sweeping wave of layoffs has begun at several U.S. health agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The cuts, which affect thousands of workers, are part of a larger overhaul aimed at transforming the agencies under the leadership of RFK Jr., who has proposed eliminating entire departments and reducing the workforce by as much as 20,000 jobs. Employees report chaos and uncertainty as they face the possibility of being laid off, with many waiting in long lines to find out their fates. Critics have condemned the drastic measures, warning that such cuts could endanger public health and safety. Former officials have expressed concern that the restructuring will dismantle crucial functions within the agencies, fundamentally changing how they operate and potentially jeopardizing the health of the nation.