The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued a warning about the risk to millions of lives due to the new U.S. government's decision to suspend its distribution programs for HIV medications in developing countries. According to the WHO, the sudden and prolonged interruption of these programs could endanger millions of people, as U.S. PEPFAR programs provide treatment to 20 million individuals worldwide, including 566,000 children.
In a statement, the WHO noted that the cessation of PEPFAR programs in approximately fifty countries could result in an increase in HIV infections and deaths, reversing decades of progress and regressing to earlier times when AIDS claimed the lives of millions of people each year. The Trump administration has ordered the suspension of HIV medication distributions funded by U.S. humanitarian aid, even if purchases have already been made and treatments are available at health centers.
The WHO warns that stopping HIV programs will not only undermine efforts to prevent the transmission of the virus but will also endanger the lives of millions of people living with HIV who depend on these treatments to remain healthy. Currently, nearly 40 million people worldwide live with HIV, and more than 30 million rely on funding for programs in developing countries to access antiretroviral treatments and other medications.
In 2023, there were 1.3 million new HIV infections reported, and around 630,000 people died due to AIDS-related illnesses, a figure slightly lower than the previous year. Over the forty years of the epidemic, AIDS has claimed the lives of more than 40 million people worldwide. The withdrawal of U.S. aid from these programs poses a serious threat to the health and lives of millions of vulnerable people around the globe.
