USAID Freeze: WHO warns of HIV drug shortages in eight countries

The World Health Organization (WHO) has sounded the alarm over an impending shortage of HIV treatments in eight countries, including Nigeria, due to the Trump administration’s decision to pause U.S. foreign aid.

The funding freeze, which has “substantially disrupted” the supply of life-saving antiretroviral drugs, threatens to reverse two decades of progress in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.

According to the WHO, the affected countries—Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, and Ukraine—could soon face critical shortages of essential HIV medications.

“The disruptions to HIV programs could undo 20 years of progress,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus cautioned during a press conference on Monday.

The U.S. aid freeze, implemented by President Donald Trump shortly after his January inauguration, has not only impacted HIV programs but also efforts to combat polio, malaria, and tuberculosis. The crisis has extended to the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, a WHO-coordinated initiative operating over 700 sites worldwide, which now faces the risk of shutting down amid a resurgence of measles cases in the U.S.

Dr. Ghebreyesus urged the U.S. to take a responsible approach to its funding withdrawal, stating:
“The United States has a responsibility to ensure that if it withdraws funding, it does so in an orderly and humane way that allows affected countries to find alternative resources.”

Beyond HIV treatment shortages, the funding freeze is already affecting essential healthcare services in Afghanistan. Since March 4, 167 health facilities have shut down due to funding shortages, with over 220 more at risk of closing by June unless urgent intervention is provided. The WHO estimates that 80% of its supported healthcare services in Afghanistan are now in jeopardy.

The situation has been further exacerbated by the Trump administration’s decision to withdraw from the WHO, which previously received about 20% of its annual funding from the United States. As a result, the organization has been forced to freeze hiring and implement budget cuts across multiple global health initiatives.

While the Trump administration justified the funding cuts as part of a broader effort to reduce administrative costs, global health experts warn of severe repercussions.

The potential collapse of HIV programs, alongside the strain on other disease-fighting efforts, highlights the critical role of international funding in sustaining public health initiatives worldwide.

The post USAID Freeze: WHO warns of HIV drug shortages in eight countries first appeared on 3News.

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