Faith Nyasuguta
The Trump administration has cut all funding to the United Nations program on HIV/AIDS (UNAids), dealing a significant blow to global efforts to combat the disease. This decision is the latest in a series of moves to scale back US involvement in international health and anti-poverty programs.
The funding termination was announced by Peter Marocco, a Trump loyalist overseeing changes in US foreign aid through USAid. In a letter to UNAids, Marocco stated that the decision was made “for the convenience of the US government” and to align with national interests.
Impact of US Funding Cuts
The US has historically played a crucial role in financing global HIV prevention efforts, contributing two-thirds of all international funding for low- and middle-income countries. Most of this support came through the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar), established by George W. Bush in 2003. The program has funded approximately 70% of the global response to HIV/AIDS.
The countries most reliant on US financial support, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, and Haiti are among the hardest hit by the epidemic. The sudden withdrawal of funding is expected to have devastating consequences.
A study by the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation estimates that up to 500,000 people could die in South Africa over the next decade due to these cuts. Additionally, half a million new infections might occur as South African health organizations lose USAid grants.
“We will see lives lost,” said Linda-Gail Bekker from the foundation.
Previous Funding Freeze and Its Consequences
This is not the first time the Trump administration has disrupted global health funding. In the early days of the administration, all foreign assistance was frozen. A temporary waiver introduced on February 1 allowed some life-saving care, such as mother-to-child transmission prevention, to resume. This provided relief for around 20 million people living with HIV who rely on US-funded medication.
However, despite the waiver, confusion and inconsistent aid distribution have already caused widespread suffering. The new funding cut to UNAids, which operates in 70 countries, is expected to further harm global HIV prevention and treatment programs.
Global Reaction & Worsening Crisis
UNAids has reported major disruptions in 55 countries due to the US foreign aid pause. Executive Director Winnie Byanyima warned that “any reduction could severely disrupt lifesaving prevention programs, risking new infections and reversing progress to end Aids.”
Ivory Coast has been particularly affected, with the near-total collapse of HIV services since the funding freeze began. Before the cuts, US-funded programs were providing life-saving treatment to 85% of the country’s 265,000 people living with HIV. Following the freeze, many services shut down completely. Although some resumed after the waiver, most US-funded prevention programs for high-risk groups remain closed.
The Trump administration’s decision to end UNAids funding adds to the challenges facing global HIV/AIDS response efforts. With critical programs already struggling under previous funding freezes, this latest move is expected to deepen the crisis. Health experts warn that without urgent intervention, millions of lives could be at risk, and decades of progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS may be undone.
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