UN agency warns of ‘surge’ in AIDS deaths without US funding

“We will see a…real surge in this disease - [we] will see it come back, and we see people dying the way we saw them in the 90s and in 2000s,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima who noted a “tenfold increase” from the 600,000 AIDS-related deaths recorded globally in 2023.

“We also expect an additional 8.7 million new infections. At the last count, there were 1.3 million new infections globally [in] 2023”.

Speaking in Geneva, Ms. Byanyima noted that the funding freeze announced by the White House on 20 January was due to end next month, after a 90-day review.

“We have not heard of other governments pledging to fill the gap,” she told journalists.

Already, drop-in centres where HIV patients can pick up the anti-retroviral medicines they need are not reopening, “for fear that this might not be consistent with the new guidelines”, she maintained.

“This sudden withdrawal of US funding has led [to the closure] of many clinics, laying off of thousands of health workers. These are nurses, doctors, lab technicians, pharmacy workers…it's a lot.”

Focus on Africa

Focusing on Africa – where the eastern and southern regions bear 53 per cent of the global HIV burden – Ms. Byanyima warned that closing drop-in centers for girls and young women without notice would be disastrous. She emphasized that more than 60 per cent of new infections on the continent are among girls and young women.

Speaking to UN News earlier this month, Susan Kasedde, head of the UNAIDS office in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), highlighted major uncertainties regarding the extent and scope of cuts to PEPFAR-led programmes. This initiative, launched over two decades ago by former US President George W. Bush to prevent and contain HIV infections, is estimated to have saved around 26 million lives.

There are currently around 520,000 people living with HIV in the DRC, including 300,000 women and 50,000 children. The epidemic continues to grow, as the number of new infections is almost double the number of deaths linked to the disease.

PEPFAR's expected contribution for the 2025 fiscal year was due to be $105 million, and it aims to provide treatment to half of the population living with HIV in the DRC – some 209,000 people.

“This means that we currently have 440,000 people living with HIV who are on treatment. Thanks to this treatment, they are alive”, said Ms. Kasedde.

Global impact of cuts

Several other UN agencies that are heavily reliant on US funding have also warned that the cut in support – in addition to chronic under-investment in humanitarian work globally – is already having a serious impact on the communities they serve.

On Friday, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR, said that thousands have been left without lifesaving aid in the war-torn eastern DRC.

The UN International Organization for Migration (IOM) also announced that funding cuts have severe repercussions for vulnerable migrant communities, exacerbating humanitarian crises and undermining essential support systems for displaced populations.

Together with IOM, the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) warned last Friday that that the liquidity crunch has jeopardized lifesaving work, including progress in reducing child mortality, which has fallen by 60 per cent since 1990.

“It is reasonable for the United States to want to reduce its funding - over time. But the sudden withdrawal of lifesaving support is having a devastating impact across countries, particularly Africa, but even in Asia and Latin America,” said UNAIDS’ Ms. Byanyima.

“We urge for a reconsideration and an urgent restoration of services – life-saving services.”

Presidential appeal

In a direct appeal to President Donald Trump, the UNAIDS chief highlighted that, just as President Bush had introduced the groundbreaking PEPFAR initiative, the new White House incumbent could also be part of the “prevention revolution.” She pointed to a twice-yearly injectable drug that has shown great promise in preventing new HIV infections.

According to UNAIDS, approximately 40 million people globally live with HIV, based on 2023 data. Of this number, some 1.3 million became newly infected with HIV in the same year and 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses.