The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised concerns about a potential shortage of HIV treatments in eight countries, including Nigeria, following the Trump administration’s decision to halt U.S. foreign aid.
This funding freeze has significantly disrupted the supply of essential medications, endangering millions of lives.
Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, and Ukraine could soon face severe HIV drug shortages, according to the WHO.
The organization warned that this disruption could undo two decades of progress in the global fight against HIV/AIDS.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus warned at a press conference, “The disruptions to HIV programs could undo 20 years of progress.”
The U.S. aid freeze, which began shortly after President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January, has also hindered efforts to combat other diseases such as polio, malaria, and tuberculosis.
The WHO-led Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, which operates over 700 sites globally, faces the risk of shutting down due to the funding cuts. This comes amid a rise in measles cases in the United States.
