UN warns HIV infections could rise more than 6 times if US funding cut

• The head of the United Nations AIDS agency is warning the number of new HIV infections could jump more than six times and deaths could see an even more dramatic rise by 2029.
• Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of UNAIDS, said this could happen if the United States permanently cuts funding through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (USPEPFAR).
• Byanyima said while HIV infections have been falling over the past few decades, President Donald Trump’s freeze on all foreign aid for 90 days jeopardizes the progress already made.

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The head of the United Nations AIDS agency warned on Monday, Feb. 10, the number of new HIV infections could jump more than six times and AIDS-related deaths could see an even more dramatic rise by 2029. That’s if the American government drops its support for the world’s largest AIDS prevention program through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and global fund.

Executive Director of UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima, spoke with The Associated Press about the potential ramifications.

What would it mean in the fight against HIV?

“If this piece, this contribution of the American government through PEPFAR (U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief) and through the global fund is pulled out, our estimate is that in the next five years, we could have 6.3 million AIDS-related deaths, ten times more,” Byanyima said.

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She also said while HIV infections have been falling over the past few decades, President Donald Trump’s freeze on all foreign aid for 90 days jeopardizes the progress already made.

Byanyima noted, if the U.S. fully drops out of the programs it would result in 8.7 million more HIV infections over the next five years.

“This will cost lives, if the American government doesn’t change its mind and maintain its leadership,” Byanyima said.

She is now urging the Trump administration to reconsider the freeze, saying that it is causing “panic, fear and confusion,” in many African nations.

In one region in Kenya, Byanyima noted, 550 HIV workers were laid off while thousands of others in Ethiopia were fired, leaving health officials without any means to track the virus in these nations.

Byanyima also said the loss of U.S. funding for HIV programs in some countries is devastating, with around 90% of their programs reliant on outside funding.

Why is now a critical time to lose funding?

Byanyima said the loss of American dollars also comes amid a medical breakthrough in combating the virus.

The medicine comes in the form of a twice-yearly shot shown to offer full protection against HIV in women and was shown to be nearly as effective in men, according to UNAIDS.

Byanyima said the mass distribution of the shot could help end the disease as a public epidemic in the next five years.

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Who else could step up?

So far, Byanyima said no other nations or donors have stepped in to fill the gap left by the loss of American funding, but she said she plans to travel to Europe to speak to global leaders.

“People are going to die because lifesaving tools have been taken away from them and from what I’ve heard, I have not yet heard of any European country committing to step in,” Byanyima said. “But I know they are listening and trying to see where they can come in because they care about rights, about humanity.”