The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS, UNAIDS, on Monday, March 24 said the sudden halt in US foreign aid funding has been devastating.
In a Statement, the Executive Director of UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima, who stated this, warned that without more funding, millions more will die and the global AIDS pandemic will resurge.
The United States has historically been the world’s largest donor of humanitarian assistance, but US President Donald Trump has slashed international aid since his return to the White House on January 20.
“It is reasonable for the United States to want to reduce its
over time, but the sudden withdrawal of life-saving support is having a devastating impact. We urge for a reconsideration and an urgent restoration of services, life-saving services,” Byanyima told reporters in Geneva, capital of Switzerland.
According to her, without more funding, there will be an additional 6.3 million AIDS-related deaths in the next four years.
She explained that at the last count, in 2023, some 600,000 AIDS-related deaths were registered globally, adding that the agency expected to see an additional 8.7 million new infections.
“So you’re talking of a 10-fold increase. You’re talking of losing the gains that we have made over the last 25 years. It is very serious,” she added.