UNAids Chief Warns US Funding Cuts May Lead to Catastrophic Rise in HIV Cases and Deaths

Cuts in US funding for HIV programs have raised alarming concerns, with estimates projecting an additional 2,000 daily infections and six million deaths over four years. The UNAids chief has urgently appealed for a reversal of these cuts, emphasizing the severe impacts on vulnerable populations, particularly women and children.

The head of UNAids, Winnie Byanyima, has issued a grave warning regarding the recent cuts to HIV funding in the United States, projecting that they could lead to an additional 2,000 new HIV infections per day and over six million additional deaths in the next four years. This potential setback stands in stark contrast to the progress made in combating HIV, which saw the number of deaths decline from over two million in 2004 to approximately 600,000 in 2023.

Byanyima attributed these alarming projections to the US government's decision to pause foreign aid, impacting crucial HIV programs. As a result, she has called for an immediate reversal of these cuts, particularly noting that women and girls are among those disproportionately affected.

The funding pause began on President Donald Trump's first day in office, as part of a broader review of government spending. Since then, numerous programs funded by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have been terminated, interrupted HIV treatment and prevention efforts, leading to the closure of essential mother and baby clinics in Africa, and significantly affecting the distribution of life-saving antiretroviral (ARV) medicines.

Byanyima expressed her fears that the current situation could mimic the 1990s when access to HIV medication in poorer countries was severely limited, resulting in skyrocketing infections and deaths. The US has historically been the largest funder of HIV treatment and prevention globally, and while Byanyima acknowledged the US's historical generosity, she stressed that immediate and drastic reductions in support could have catastrophic consequences.

There has been little indication that the US administration would reconsider its stance despite international appeals. Other traditional aid donors in Europe are also planning funding cuts, and UNAids has seen no signs of other nations stepping in to fill the financial gaps left by the US.

During a recent event in Geneva, Byanyima highlighted the case of Juliana, a Kenyan woman living with HIV who was previously employed in a US-funded program aimed at supporting new mothers. With funding now suspended, she is concerned about losing access to necessary treatment while caring for her child.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that several countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, and South Africa, could soon experience severe shortages of HIV medications due to the funding freeze. WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned that this disruption in HIV programs could potentially reverse two decades of progress made in the fight against the disease.

Byanyima outlined a potential solution for the US administration, suggesting a partnership opportunity involving a new ARV developed by the US pharmaceutical company Gilead, which could provide essential treatment to millions globally. She posited that such a deal could yield significant financial benefits and job creation in the US.

UNAids is notably not the only UN agency impacted by funding reductions, with warnings from the UN Refugee Agency about potential job cuts and concerns from UNICEF and the World Food Programme about setbacks to their critical missions due to funding shortfalls.