Trump’s Aid Cuts Jeopardize Global HIV Prevention,Experts Warn
US President Donald Trump’s significant cuts to foreign aid have severely impacted HIV prevention efforts worldwide,health experts have warned. They fear a surge in new infections and millions more deaths from AIDS as a direct consequence.
A July report by UNAIDS indicates that if the Trump administration‘s HIV funding reductions become permanent, the world could see an additional six million infections and four million deaths by 2029.
What Global HIV/AIDS Funds Were Cut?
The Trump administration has reportedly canceled more than 80 percent of programs managed by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), leading to the institution’s shutdown this month. Consequently, numerous HIV/AIDS programs have been terminated.This includes funding for crucial surveillance systems that monitor the virus’s spread, vital education campaigns, and clinics providing testing and treatment.
While a limited waiver in February allowed “life-saving” treatment services funded by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) to resume, the availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) medicine, a key HIV prevention tool, remains restricted for most individuals.
Since its inception in 2003, PEPFAR has invested over $110 billion, facilitated 64 million HIV tests, and saved an estimated 25 million lives across 55 countries, according to the State Department.
In March, the U.S. Congress failed to reauthorize PEPFAR, casting uncertainty on its future, although the program currently has funding secured until September 2025.
“By cutting back on prevention services for those populations, it really risks continuing broader spread. That’s just how infectious diseases work.”
Jennifer Kates, senior vice president, KFF
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