NEWS

Trump Halts HIV Funding For Nigeria, Others

The U.S. government has paused support for HIV treatment in Nigeria and other developing countries following an executive order by President Donald Trump.

The State Department suspended fund disbursement from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a key HIV treatment program for Africa and other regions, for at least 90 days.

This decision stems from Trump’s executive order on foreign aid, signed on his first day in office last Monday. The order directed all agencies managing foreign development assistance to halt disbursements, causing a near-total freeze on U.S. global health funding.

According to NPR, PEPFAR’s operations may remain suspended for three months unless an exemption is granted in the coming weeks.

With an annual budget of $6.5 billion, PEPFAR provides life-saving HIV/AIDS treatment to over 20.6 million people worldwide and has played a critical role in controlling the virus. Since its inception, it has saved an estimated 26 million lives, according to State Department data.

But speaking on the ban, the agency was quoted as saying, “The United States is no longer going to blindly dole out money with no return for the American people,”

Public health experts are concerned that the new Trump administration could potentially terminate the entire program.

On the other hand, some remain optimistic, hoping Marco Rubio’s appointment as Secretary of State signals positive news for PEPFAR, given his previous support for the initiative.

Impact on Nigeria
With about two million Nigerians living with HIV, many depend on PEPFAR for access to life-saving medications and healthcare infrastructure.

As one of the countries with the highest global HIV burden, Nigeria heavily relies on programs like PEPFAR. Over the years, PEPFAR has invested more than $6 billion in Nigeria’s national HIV/AIDS response.

The suspension or permanent termination of the program could significantly hinder efforts to control HIV in the country.

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