U.S. President Donald Trump's suspension of foreign aid has disrupted the supply of HIV treatments to Ukraine and seven other countries, potentially reversing two decades of progress in fighting the disease, Reuters reported on March 17, citing the World Health Organization (WHO).
WHO warned that Kenya, Haiti, Lesotho, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, South Sudan, and Ukraine could run out of critical antiretroviral drugs in the coming months.
HIV treatments are essential in preventing the virus from progressing to AIDS and maintaining the health of those infected.
"The disruptions to HIV programs could undo 20 years of progress," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference, adding that the crisis could result in over 10 million additional HIV cases and 3 million related deaths.
On March 10, the Trump administration announced the termination of 83% of the U.S. Agency for International Development's (USAID) foreign aid contracts.
The cuts have broad implications for humanitarian efforts, particularly in Ukraine, where USAID has provided $2.6 billion in humanitarian aid, $5 billion in development assistance, and over $30 billion in direct budget support since Russia's full-scale invasion began.
Elon Musk, a close ally of Trump and head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has spearheaded efforts to dismantle USAID, eliminating staff positions and attacking the agency's work in public.
Musk is currently listed as the world's richest man alive.
The funding suspension poses a significant threat to various Ukrainian organizations and projects that rely on U.S. assistance across multiple sectors.
The move aligns with Trump's broader strategy of reducing foreign aid, despite concerns from health officials and humanitarian organizations that such cuts will worsen global health crises.
Tim Zadorozhnyy
(Updated: )
