The World Health Organisation (WHO) has appealed to the United States government to exempt HIV treatment from its current funding pause.
In a statement published on its website, the global health body expressed concern over the immediate suspension of funding for HIV programmes in low- and middle-income countries.
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PREMIUM TIMES reported on Tuesday that the US government has halted support for HIV treatment in Nigeria and other developing countries following an order by President Donald Trump.
As a result, the US State Department suspended the disbursement of funds from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR)—a programme for HIV treatment in Africa and other developing nations—for at least 90 days.
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WHO’s concerns
According to WHO, these programmes provide access to life-saving HIV therapy to more than 30 million people worldwide.
Globally, 39.9 million people were living with HIV at the end of 2023.
“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 stated.
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WHO explained that a long- term funding pause could have devastating consequences, including a surge in new HIV infections and deaths, effectively.
It added that it could reverse decades of progress and potentially take the world back to the 1980s and 1990s when millions died of HIV every year globally, including many in the United States of America.
More potential setbacks
WHO further stated that the global community would also suffer significant setbacks in its efforts to combat HIV, undermining partnerships and investments in cutting-edge research, diagnostics, and treatment.
The progress made in developing innovative diagnostics, affordable medicines, and community-based HIV care models would be severely compromised, dealing a crippling blow to public health initiatives worldwide.
Trump’s order
The decision to halt HIV funding is part of Mr Trump’s executive order on foreign aid, which aims to review the country’s foreign assistance programmes.
PEPFAR, which has an annual budget of $6.5 billion, provides HIV/AIDS treatment to over 20.6 million people worldwide.
The suspension of funding has sparked concerns among public health experts, who fear that Mr Trump’s administration might terminate the entire programme.
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PEPFAR’s achievement, challenges
According to WHO, PEPFAR has been a cornerstone of the global HIV response for over 20 years, saving more than 26 million lives and providing HIV treatment to over 20 million people worldwide, including 566,000 children under 15.
With a presence in over 50 countries including Nigeria, PEPFAR has been instrumental in reducing HIV-related deaths and infections.
However, the current funding pause poses a significant threat to the programme’s continuity and the lives of millions who depend on it.
WHO noted that the sudden and prolonged stop to PEPFAR programmes could lead to a surge in new infections and deaths, reversing decades of progress in the fight against HIV.
To this effect, WHO expressed deep concern about the implications of the funding pause, emphasising the need for a managed transition to minimise the impact on people living with HIV.
The organisation reinstated its commitment to supporting PEPFAR and other partners in managing change processes effectively to ensure the continued delivery of life-saving HIV treatment and care.
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