US Aid Freeze Puts Millions at Risk of HIV Drug Shortage in Africa – WHO
Published on March 19, 2025 at 2:30 PM by Evance Kapito
Eight countries, including Nigeria, Kenya, and Lesotho, are at risk of running out of HIV drugs following the US government’s decision to pause foreign aid, the World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.
The freeze was announced by US President Donald Trump on his first day in office in January, as part of a review of government spending.
WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned that disruptions to HIV treatment programs could reverse 20 years of progress, potentially leading to over 10 million new HIV cases and three million additional deaths more than triple last year’s figures.
Besides Nigeria, Kenya, and Lesotho, other affected countries include South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, Haiti, and Ukraine. WHO estimates that these nations could run out of life-saving anti-retroviral (ARV) drugs in the coming months if alternative solutions are not found.
BBC
