The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that eight countries,
including Nigeria, Kenya, and Lesotho, are at risk of running out of HIV
drugs due to the US government’s suspension of foreign aid. The aid freeze,
initiated by President Donald Trump in January 2025, has disrupted health
programs globally, particularly affecting the US President’s Emergency Plan for
AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has saved over 26 million lives since 2003.
WHO Chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned that these disruptions
could reverse 20 years of progress, leading to over 10 million new HIV
infections and 3 million related deaths. The funding cut has halted HIV
treatment, testing, and prevention services in more than 50 countries, leaving
sub-Saharan Africa’s 25 million HIV-positive individuals—two-thirds of the
global total—vulnerable.
Dr. Tedros urged the US to reconsider its stance, emphasizing that global health
support not only saves lives but also helps prevent disease outbreaks from
spreading internationally.
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