The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) has called for the uninterrupted provision of essential HIV services following the U.S. decision to pause foreign aid funding.
On January 29, UNAIDS welcomed the announcement by U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio approving an “Emergency Humanitarian Waiver” to allow continued access to lifesaving HIV treatment funded by the U.S. in 55 countries. The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) supports over 20 million people—two-thirds of all individuals receiving HIV treatment worldwide.
In a statement over the weekend, UNAIDS emphasized that while maintaining HIV treatment is crucial, continued oversight and monitoring are necessary to ensure service quality. The organization also stressed the need to sustain other critical HIV services, particularly for marginalized populations, including children, women, and key at-risk groups.
In 2023, PEPFAR provided HIV testing services to over 83.8 million people, reached 2.3 million adolescent girls and young women with prevention programs, and supported 6.6 million orphans, vulnerable children, and caregivers. Additionally, 2.5 million individuals were newly enrolled in pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) to prevent HIV infection.
UNAIDS commended the United States for its longstanding leadership in the global fight against HIV. The agency highlighted PEPFAR’s pivotal role in reducing new infections and expanding treatment access and urged continued efforts to sustain these achievements.
Globally, approximately 1.3 million people are newly infected with HIV each year, with 3,500 new cases daily. Young women and girls in Africa remain at high risk, with 3,100 new infections reported weekly among those aged 15 to 24. Furthermore, at least half of key populations lack access to essential prevention services.
UNAIDS stressed the importance of testing pregnant women in high-prevalence areas to ensure timely antiretroviral therapy, reducing the risk of mother-to-child transmission and enabling HIV-free births.
However, many organizations reliant on PEPFAR funding report impending closures due to uncertainty surrounding future U.S. assistance. UNAIDS is assessing the situation and will provide regular updates on global and country-specific developments.
Flavia Kyomukama, Executive Director of Uganda’s National Forum of People Living with HIV Network (NAFOPHANU), expressed concern, stating, “PEPFAR gave us hope, and now the funding pause is shattering that hope. With clinics closing, we urge governments to fill the human resource gap to sustain HIV service delivery.”
Zimbabwe’s Network of People Living with HIV (ZNNP+) warned that stop-work orders are generating fears over reduced healthcare access, loss of community trust, and worsening long-term health outcomes.
Anele Yawa, General Secretary of South Africa’s Treatment Action Campaign, voiced similar concerns: “The PEPFAR freeze threatens to undo the progress we have made. Over the next three months, people will struggle with prevention, treatment, and care.”
With new long-acting HIV prevention and treatment medicines expected to launch this year, UNAIDS urged the U.S. to maintain its leadership and accelerate, rather than reduce, efforts to end AIDS. The agency reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with the U.S., global donors, and affected nations to ensure a sustainable response to HIV and achieve the goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
