UNAIDS Warns of Dire HIV Infections Surge Due to US Funding Reductions
Geneva – Significant funding reductions from the United States will precipitate an estimated 2,000 additional daily HIV infections and more than six million further fatalities over the ensuing four years, the head of UNAIDS has cautioned.
This development signifies a grim reversal in the worldwide battle against HIV. Remarkable progress had been achieved, with deaths from the disease plummeting from over two million in 2004 to approximately 600,000 in 2023, the latest year for which data is available.
Winnie Byanyima, Executive Director of UNAIDS, stated that the US government’s choice to pause foreign assistance – encompassing critical funding for HIV programs – is already yielding calamitous repercussions.
She urgently appealed to the US to immediately rescind the reductions, emphasizing that women and girls are disproportionately affected.
US Aid Suspension and Program Terminations
Former US President Donald Trump initiated a temporary cessation of foreign aid, initially for 90 days, upon assuming office in January. This measure was part of a broader review of governmental expenditures. Subsequently, the majority of programs administered by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have been discontinued.
Numerous HIV treatment and prevention initiatives financed by the US have received orders to cease operations. This has resulted in the closure of essential mother and child health clinics in Africa and critical shortages of life-sustaining anti-retroviral (ARV) medications.
Ms. Byanyima expressed fears of a regression to the conditions of the 1990s, a period characterized by limited access to HIV medication in less affluent nations and a surge in both infections and mortality.
Praise for Past US Contributions and Plea for Reconsideration
For many years, the United States has held the position of the foremost global contributor to HIV treatment and prevention efforts. Ms. Byanyima acknowledged Washington’s historical generosity and humanitarian commitment.
While conceding that it is “reasonable” for the US to “desire to decrease its funding over time,” she stressed that the “abrupt withdrawal of vital support is inflicting a devastating impact.”
To date, there are no indications that Washington is heeding appeals to alter its current policy.
Moreover, traditional European donor nations are also planning funding cutbacks. UNAIDS, the joint United Nations agency dedicated to combating HIV, has received no assurances that other nations will intervene to compensate for the deficit created by the US.
Human Impact and Regional Shortages
Speaking in Geneva, Ms. Byanyima recounted the situation of Juliana, a young Kenyan woman living with HIV. Juliana was employed by a US-funded program providing support to new mothers in accessing treatment to prevent transmission to their infants.
With the program’s suspension, Juliana is not only unemployed but also faces the threat of losing her own essential treatment while breastfeeding her youngest child.
Previously, the World Health Organization (WHO) cautioned that eight countries—Nigeria, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, Haiti, and Ukraine—could soon exhaust their supplies of HIV medications following the US funding pause.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned that disruptions to HIV programs “could negate two decades of advancement.”
In February, South Africa’s leading AIDS advocacy group, the Treatment Action Campaign (TAC), warned of a potential return to a period when HIV patients struggled to secure necessary treatment services.
Sibongile Tshabalala, chair of TAC, stated, “We cannot afford to die; we cannot afford to revert to those years when we suffered due to lack of access to services, especially for individuals requiring HIV treatment.”
Proposed Solution and Broader UN Funding Concerns
Ms. Byanyima presented a proposition to the US administration, suggesting an opportunity to promote a novel US-developed ARV drug to millions globally.
Lenacapavir, manufactured by the US-based company Gilead, requires administration via injection only once every six months. UNAIDS estimates that as many as 10 million individuals could benefit from this innovative treatment.
Ms. Byanyima emphasized that the profits and employment opportunities generated by such an agreement would offer substantial advantages to the United States.
UNAIDS is among several UN agencies currently confronting funding reductions.
The UN Refugee Agency has indicated potential staff reductions of up to 6,000 positions, while UNICEF has warned that progress in reducing child mortality is jeopardized. The World Food Programme has been compelled to reduce rations in regions facing famine.