The United Nations AIDS agency has warned of a potential surge in HIV infections, with up to 2,000 new cases per day and a ten-fold increase in related deaths, if the funding frozen by the United States is not restored or replaced.
Following President Donald Trump’s decision to suspend most US foreign aid upon taking office on January 20, concerns have grown about the impact on global HIV/AIDS programs. Although the State Department assured that HIV work under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) would continue, the overall disruption to health funding has already taken a toll.
UNAIDS executive director Winnie Byanyima highlighted the devastating effects of the funding freeze, noting clinic closures, mass layoffs of health workers, and reduced access to critical services. Byanyima warned that without the resumption of US Agency for International Development (USAID) funding by April or replacement by alternative sources, an estimated 6.3 million additional AIDS-related deaths could occur over the next four years.
The Trump administration has defended the freeze as part of its “America First” policy, claiming to save taxpayer dollars. While some exemptions have been made for life-saving services, uncertainty remains about the long-term effects. The US previously contributed $50 million in core funding to UNAIDS in 2023, representing 35% of the agency’s budget.
Byanyima’s urgent call for restored funding underscores the critical need for global cooperation in the fight against HIV/AIDS, with millions of lives at stake.
