HIV/AIDS deaths could increase globally amid US aid freeze – UN

The United Nations AIDS agency (UNAIDS) has raised concerns that global HIV infections could rise by 2,000 cases per day, with AIDS-related deaths increasing tenfold, if the United States does not restore or replace frozen health funding.

The funding halt came after US President Donald Trump suspended nearly all foreign aid upon taking office on January 20. While the US State Department assured that HIV programs under the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) would continue, the broader disruption to health services is already having devastating effects, UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima stated in Geneva.

“The sudden withdrawal of US funding is forcing clinics to shut down and health workers to lose their jobs,” Byanyima warned. She cautioned that if funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) is not restored by April, an additional 6.3 million AIDS-related deaths could occur within the next four years.

Byanyima compared the potential crisis to the devastating HIV/AIDS death tolls seen in the 1990s and early 2000s. UNAIDS estimates that 600,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2023.

The US contributed $50 million to UNAIDS last year, accounting for 35% of the agency’s budget. However, Trump’s administration has justified the funding freeze as part of its "America First" policy. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has downplayed concerns, stating that waivers have been issued for life-saving services.

Trump’s team has defended the cuts, claiming they are eliminating government waste and saving taxpayers billions, though little evidence has been provided to support these assertions.