The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Nigeria and seven other countries could face critical shortages of HIV treatments in the coming months due to disruptions in U.S. foreign aid.
According to WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, the Trump administration’s decision to pause U.S. aid has “substantially disrupted” the supply of HIV medications, placing millions of lives at risk. Countries most affected include Nigeria, Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ukraine, as first reported by Reuters.
“The disruptions to HIV programs could undo 20 years of progress,” Ghebreyesus cautioned during a press conference. He further warned that without urgent intervention, this setback could result in “over 10 million additional HIV cases and three million HIV-related deaths.”
The aid suspension, implemented shortly after President Donald Trump took office in January, has impacted global health initiatives beyond HIV, including efforts to combat polio, malaria, and tuberculosis.
The WHO also raised concerns over the potential collapse of the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, a surveillance system with over 700 sites worldwide. This comes at a time when measles cases are resurging in the United States.
The crisis extends beyond disease control programs, as WHO officials also highlighted funding shortages affecting healthcare in Afghanistan. A separate statement from the agency revealed that “as of March 4, 167 health facilities had shut down due to funding shortages, and without urgent intervention, over 220 more facilities could close by June.”
Ghebreyesus stressed that the U.S. government must ensure its withdrawal from direct funding is handled responsibly to allow affected countries to seek alternative financial support.
“The United States has a ‘responsibility to ensure that if it withdraws direct funding for countries, it’s done in an orderly and humane way that allows them to find alternative sources of funding,’” he stated.
Additionally, the U.S. decision to exit the WHO has forced the UN agency— which typically receives about 20% of its total funding from the U.S.—to freeze hiring and introduce budget cuts. WHO officials announced on Monday that they would reduce their funding target for emergency operations in the 2026-2027 budget period from $1.2 billion to $872 million.
As the crisis deepens, global health experts warn that urgent action is needed to prevent severe setbacks in the fight against infectious diseases.
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