UNAIDS Warns of HIV Catastrophe if U.S. Funding Ends

Geneva, Feb 7 – More than six million people could die from HIV and AIDS over the next four years if the U.S. government withdraws its global funding for treatment programs, the United Nations AIDS agency (UNAIDS) warned on Friday.

Despite a temporary waiver on HIV/AIDS programs under the recent U.S. foreign aid freeze, concerns remain over the long-term stability of treatment initiatives, said Christine Stegling, UNAIDS’ deputy executive director. She highlighted growing confusion at the community level regarding how the waiver would be implemented, warning that disruptions in treatment services were already being observed.

President Donald Trump placed hundreds of millions of dollars in foreign aid on hold for 90 days after taking office on January 20. While the U.S. State Department later issued a waiver for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)—the world’s largest HIV initiative—Stegling described the situation as chaotic.

She warned that if PEPFAR financial support is not reauthorized between 2025 and 2029, there could be a 400% increase in AIDS-related deaths, amounting to 6.3 million lives lost. Stressing the urgency, she urged U.N. member states to intervene, stating, “Every penny, every cut, every pause in funding will have devastating consequences.”

The impact is already being felt in Ethiopia, where 5,000 public health workers funded by U.S. assistance have lost their jobs. Community clinics, which heavily rely on American funding, are among the hardest hit, raising concerns that fewer people will seek treatment, potentially leading to a rise in new HIV infections.

The United States provides the majority of global funding for UNAIDS, which operates in 70 countries and leads efforts to eradicate AIDS as a public health threat by 2030. However, Trump’s administration has stated that it is reviewing all foreign aid programs to ensure they align with his “America First” policy, leaving the future of PEPFAR uncertain.

Source: Reuters