The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised serious concerns about the impact of the recent pause in funding for HIV programs in low- and middle-income countries.
These programs provide life-saving HIV treatment to over 30 million people worldwide, and as of the end of 2023, 39.9 million people were living with HIV globally.
The Trump administration has ordered organizations in other nations to halt the distribution of HIV medications purchased with U.S. aid, even if the drugs have already been delivered and are waiting in local clinics.
This directive is part of a broader suspension of foreign aid announced last week.
In a statement on Tuesday, WHO warned that halting funding for HIV programs could immediately increase the risk of illness and death for people living with HIV and hinder efforts to prevent transmission in various communities and countries.
The organization expressed concern that if these measures continue, it could lead to a rise in new infections and deaths, reversing decades of progress and potentially bringing the world back to the 1980s and 1990s, when millions died from HIV each year, including many in the U.S.
The WHO also pointed out that such actions could cause significant setbacks in global partnerships and investments in scientific advances, which have been critical to successful public health efforts, such as innovative diagnostics, affordable medicines, and community-based HIV care models.
The WHO called on the U.S. government to make exceptions to ensure the continued delivery of life-saving HIV treatment and care.
It also highlighted the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a major initiative in the global HIV response for over 20 years.. However, the WHO noted that the funding freeze for PEPFAR would directly affect millions of people who rely on a steady supply of effective antiretroviral medications.
PEPFAR operates in over 50 countries, and its funding has saved more than 26 million lives over the past two decades. Currently, PEPFAR provides HIV treatment to more than 20 million people worldwide, including 566,000 children under 15.
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The WHO emphasized that PEPFAR and its partners, including the WHO, have been working with countries on sustainability plans to reduce dependency on donor support through 2030 and beyond.
A sudden and prolonged halt to these programs would disrupt these plans and put millions of lives at risk.
The WHO reaffirmed its commitment to supporting PEPFAR, other partners, and national governments in managing these transitions effectively to minimize the impact on people living with HIV.