The Trump administration is making plans to shut down the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a federal programme that provides funding for HIV treatment in Nigeria and many other developing countries.
Documents obtained by the New York Times revealed that the US government has begun mapping out plans to shut down the programme.
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The government has drafted a new plan to shift the programme from one that provides medicines and services to treat and prevent the spread of HIV in low-income countries, to one centred on “bilateral relationships” with developing countries.
Organisations have been instructed to begin preparing for a transition and start phasing out US support in several countries, some within as little as two years.
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This is coming only a few days after the US Congress moved to exempt the anti-AIDS programme from the major foreign aid cut. While this move has been widely celebrated, the New York Times reports that this progress may be cut short.
According to the PEPFAR documents, the programme will focus instead on detecting outbreaks that could pose a threat to the United States and creating new markets for American drugs and technologies.
The planning document reads, “With targeted investment, PEPFAR’s H.I.V. control capabilities in these countries could be transformed into a platform for rapid detection and outbreak response to protect Americans from disease threats like Ebola,” according to The Times.
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For weeks, the proposed changes have been quietly circulating, with details already making their way to PEPFAR’s international partners and government officials abroad.
The version obtained by The Times reveals input from numerous senior figures within the programme, including comments and revisions.
However, an official of the State Department said the document had not been finalised.
“The referenced document is not reflective of the State Department’s policy on PEPFAR and was never cleared by Department leadership,” she said.
US aid suspension
The US attempt at a cost-cutting initiative earlier in the year led to the temporary suspension of foreign aid and disrupted key global health programmes such as PEPFAR.
In Nigeria, the programme is responsible for funding a significant portion of HIV treatment, prevention, and care services.
Funding provided by the initiative supports everything from antiretroviral drug provision to testing, counselling, and health worker training. In contrast, the country’s annual budgetary allocations for health are largely spent on salaries and administrative expenses.
The implementation of the US funding cuts drastically affected HIV care in Nigeria. It disrupted drug supply chains, delayed routine services, and created uncertainty among healthcare workers and patients who rely heavily on PEPFAR-supported programmes for consistent treatment and support.
Although PEPFAR was issued a limited waiver, which allowed it to carry out some services, the situation has been fluid since the suspension of aid.
READ ALSO: USAIDs suspension disrupts family planning services in Nigerian state Official
This new plan poses a significant threat to HIV treatment in Nigeria and many other developing countries.
While the organisation’s central goal was to end HIV as a public health threat by 2030, the Trump administration targeted PEPFAR, citing concerns over wasteful spending and the misuse of taxpayers’ money.
According to the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, the programme has been plagued by fraud and waste, necessitating the policies introduced by the Trump administration.
He, however, insisted that, despite the reduced budget, all essential and life-saving services will continue.
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