The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed concern about the immediate suspension of funding for HIV programs in Nigeria and other low- and middle-income countries under the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
PEPFAR, a major global initiative launched over 20 years ago, has played a critical role in the HIV response.
WHO warns that halting this funding will disrupt essential HIV programs and negatively affect millions who rely on consistent access to antiretroviral treatment (ART).
The organization is urging the Trump administration to implement more exemptions to ensure that life-saving HIV care continues in these regions. Currently, over 1.9 million Nigerians are receiving ART.
WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus expressed concern that the funding cut will impact programs that provide HIV treatment to over 30 million people globally.
He cautioned that suspending this funding could increase the risk of illness and death for people living with HIV and hinder efforts to prevent the spread of the virus.
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Dr. Tedros warned that prolonged funding cuts could lead to a rise in new infections and deaths, potentially reversing years of progress and returning the world to the crisis levels seen in the 1980s and 1990s, when millions of lives were lost to HIV each year.
The WHO statement emphasized the devastating impact such funding cuts could have on global partnerships, scientific advancements, and public health programs, which rely on innovations in diagnostics, affordable treatments, and community-based HIV care models.
WHO is calling on the United States to create additional exemptions to ensure the continuation of life-saving HIV services.
PEPFAR, established by the U.S. Leadership Against Global HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria Act of 2003, is the largest global health initiative focused on a single disease.
Over the past two decades, it has funded programs that have saved more than 26 million lives.
In Nigeria, PEPFAR has been active since 2003, contributing over $7.8 billion to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic, improving access to treatments, and expanding the number of ART sites from about 25 in 2001 to over 1,000 today.
PEPFAR’s efforts have helped reduce the HIV infection rate in Nigeria from 5.1% in 2001 to 1.4% in 2018.
PEPFAR aims to eliminate HIV/AIDS as a public health issue by 2030 and is committed to helping Nigeria achieve the “95-95-95” targets, which focus on diagnosing, treating, and maintaining sustained HIV treatment for affected individuals.