Many countries may run out of HIV drugs as US cuts aid

(CLO) The decision by the Trump administration to suspend foreign aid has caused serious disruptions in the supply of HIV treatment drugs in eight countries.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that these countries could soon run out of the drug, threatening the lives of millions of patients.

WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus. Photo: WCC

Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria and Ukraine could run out of supplies of HIV drugs in the coming months if no alternative is found, the WHO said.

"This disruption could wipe out 20 years of progress in the fight against HIV," WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press conference.

He warned that drug shortages could lead to more than 10 million new HIV infections and 3 million HIV-related deaths.

In addition to HIV, programs to combat polio, malaria and tuberculosis were also affected by the US decision to suspend aid, implemented soon after Donald Trump took office in January 2025.

In addition, the WHO-coordinated Global Network of Measles and Rubella Laboratory sites – which includes more than 700 sites worldwide – is also at risk of closure. This comes amid a resurgence of measles in the United States.

"The US has a responsibility to ensure that if it withdraws funding, it does so in an orderly and humane manner, allowing countries time to find alternative funding," Mr. Tedros stressed.

According to WHO, about 80% of essential health services supported by the organization in Afghanistan could be forced to close due to lack of funding.

As of March 4, 167 health facilities in Afghanistan were out of service. Without urgent intervention, this number could rise to more than 220 by June.

The US decision to leave the WHO is also putting the organisation in a difficult position. The US is a country that contributes about a fifth of the WHO's annual budget.

As a result, WHO has had to freeze staff recruitment and cut its budget. Specifically, the budget for emergency operations in the 2026-2027 period will be reduced from 1.2 billion USD to 872 million USD.

Cao Phong (according to Reuters, CNN, BBC)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/who-nhieu-quoc-gia-co-the-het-thuoc-dieu-tri-hiv-do-my-cat-giam-vien-tro-post338978.html