The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised alarm over the immediate funding halt for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) programmes in low- and middle-income countries, warning that millions of lives are at risk. The sudden pause, affecting initiatives such as the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), threatens access to lifesaving antiretroviral treatment for over 30 million people worldwide.
The Donald Trump administration on January 20, 2025 ordered a halt to the supply of medical aid related to HIV, malaria and tuberculosis, as well as the provision of drugs and equipment for newborns in countries supported by United States Agency for International Development (USAID), according to a memo reviewed by news agency Reuters. Some exemptions include military aid to Israel and emergency humanitarian food assistance.
With 39.9 million people living with HIV at the end of 2023, WHO cautioned that the disruption could lead to a sharp rise in infections and deaths, undoing decades of progress in combating the epidemic. The organisation stressed that prolonged funding cuts could push the world back to the crisis levels of the 1980s and 1990s when millions died annually due to a lack of effective treatment.
“A funding halt for HIV programmes can put people living with HIV at immediate increased risk of illness and death and undermine efforts to prevent transmission in communities and countries,” WHO said in a statement. “We call on the United States Government to enable additional exemptions to ensure the delivery of lifesaving HIV treatment and care.”
PEPFAR, a flagship initiative in the global HIV response since its launch over 20 years ago, has been instrumental in providing treatment and care in more than 50 countries. The programme has saved over 26 million lives and currently supports HIV treatment for more than 20 million people, including 566,000 children under the age of 15, a WHO statement said.
Over the past year, PEPFAR and its partners, including WHO, have been working on sustainability plans to transition programme ownership to national governments, with a goal of reducing donor reliance by 2030. However, WHO warned that an abrupt funding stop prevents a smooth transition and leaves millions vulnerable to severe health consequences.
“The current funding pause for PEPFAR will have a direct impact on millions of lives that depend on the predictable supply of safe and effective antiretroviral treatment,” WHO cautioned.