WHO Raises Alarm Over US Funding Pause for HIV Programs in Developing Countries
The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm after the United States, under President Donald Trump’s executive order on foreign aid, paused crucial funding for HIV treatment programs in low- and middle-income countries.
The move has led to the suspension of funds from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program responsible for providing HIV care to millions around the world. PEPFAR currently supports over 20 million people living with HIV, including 566,000 children under 15 years of age, with essential life-saving treatments.
According to WHO data, 39.9 million people were living with HIV globally by the end of 2023, with more than 30 million benefiting from programs like PEPFAR that provide access to antiretroviral therapy (ART). The organization has expressed grave concern about the pause, warning that halting funding for HIV programs could significantly increase the risks of illness and death for vulnerable populations.
“If this funding pause continues, it could jeopardize decades of progress made in the fight against HIV,” the WHO said in a statement. “It may lead to a resurgence in new infections and deaths, potentially reversing the global advancements of the last few decades and pushing us back to the devastating situation of the 1980s and 1990s when millions died from HIV-related causes.”
The WHO further cautioned that a prolonged halt to funding would undermine scientific progress in the field, setting back advances in diagnostics, affordable treatments, and community-based care models. These initiatives have been pivotal in making HIV care accessible to millions, particularly in resource-limited settings.
In response to the potential fallout, the WHO is urging the US government to reconsider its decision and provide exemptions to ensure continued access to HIV treatment and care. The organization stressed that the world cannot afford to lose the hard-won progress in the fight against HIV, which continues to be a major global health issue.
