The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that the Trump administration’s decision to halt U.S. foreign aid has severely disrupted the supply of HIV treatments in eight countries, potentially reversing two decades of progress in the fight against the virus. The global health agency announced on Monday that Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria, and Ukraine could run out of life-saving antiretroviral drugs in the coming months.
WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus issued a stark warning, stating that the disruptions could lead to over 10 million additional HIV infections and three million HIV-related deaths. The suspension of U.S. funding has also affected broader global health efforts, including initiatives to combat polio, malaria, and tuberculosis.
The WHO-coordinated Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, which operates across more than 700 sites worldwide, faces an imminent shutdown due to financial constraints. This development comes as measles cases are resurging in the United States, raising further concerns about the potential global health impact of the funding cut.
Ghebreyesus emphasized that the United States has a responsibility to ensure that any withdrawal of financial support is carried out in a structured and humane manner, allowing affected countries time to secure alternative sources of funding. The repercussions of the aid suspension extend beyond HIV treatment, with WHO stating that 80% of its essential health care services in Afghanistan could be forced to close. As of March 4, 167 health facilities had already shut down due to funding shortages, and over 220 more could follow by June unless urgent financial intervention is secured.
The U.S. government’s planned withdrawal from the WHO has exacerbated the crisis, forcing the agency to freeze hiring and impose budget cuts. Typically receiving about a fifth of its annual funding from the United States, the WHO announced plans to scale back its emergency operations budget for the 2026-2027 period, reducing its funding target from $1.2 billion to $872 million.
The global health community now faces mounting uncertainty, as the loss of crucial U.S. support threatens to dismantle life-saving programs, leaving millions vulnerable to preventable diseases.
