The head of the United Nations AIDS agency is warning that HIV infections could increase dramatically if the United States drops its support for HIV and AIDS programs.
Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of UNAIDS, stated that a cut in funding could lead to millions of deaths and the emergence of more drug-resistant strains of HIV.
According to UNAIDS estimates, nearly 40 million people worldwide are living with HIV, with 1.3 million new infections in 2023.
Byanyima told the Associated Press that since President Donald Trump announced a 90-day freeze on all foreign assistance, officials estimate a potential 8.7 million new HIV infections by 2029. Additionally, AIDS-related deaths could increase tenfold, reaching 6.3 million, and an additional 3.4 million children could become orphans.
Speaking from Uganda, Byanyima emphasized the potential consequences: “We will see a surge in this disease”. She urged the U.S. government to reconsider its position to prevent loss of life.
Byanyima expressed concern that the funding freeze has caused “panic, fear, and confusion” in many African countries that rely heavily on American aid. She noted that in one Kenyan county, 550 HIV workers were laid off, and thousands more in Ethiopia, disrupting efforts to track and combat the epidemic.
She highlighted the dependence of some countries on U.S. funding, with external funding, mainly from the U.S., accounting for approximately 90% of their HIV programs. Nearly $400 million is allocated to countries like Uganda, Mozambique, and Tanzania.
Byanyima described the potential American withdrawal from global HIV efforts as a major crisis, second only to the historical delays in providing affordable antiretroviral drugs to poorer nations.
While noting that no other nations have yet committed to replacing the potential loss of American aid, Byanyima plans to engage with global leaders in Europe.
“People are going to die because lifesaving tools have been taken away from them,” she said. She expressed hope that European countries would step in, emphasizing their concern for human rights and humanity.
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