Experts say the funding freeze jeopardizes lives, igniting fears of a health crisis.
Trump’s Foreign Aid Halt Sparks Panic Over H.I.V. Treatment in Africa
Trump’s Foreign Aid Halt Sparks Panic Over H.I.V. Treatment in Africa
Health advocates warn of a resurgence of H.I.V. as U.S. funding is abruptly paused.
As he regularly does for his H.I.V. medication, 39-year-old Sibusiso arrived at a Johannesburg clinic, only to find the doors locked and a crowd of bewildered patients, left in the dark by the sudden funding freeze ordered by the Trump administration. Rumors had circulated about President Trump cutting support for a vital program, but seeing the clinic closed underscored his worst fears.
The halt of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), established under former President George W. Bush and credited with saving millions of lives, was unexpectedly announced by the administration. Health care advocates and patients are now bracing for a potential return to a time when H.I.V. infections surged uncontrollably across Africa, leading to despair and countless fatalities.
Standing outside the frame of uncertainty and confusion, Sibusiso faced an immediate crisis; he had just consumed his last available dose of antiretroviral medication. Despite the administration’s later claims that distributions could resume, the clinic's closure left him uncertain about his next steps. "I’m now thinking of dying," he lamented, struggling to comprehend a future without access to medication.
Reportedly, the Trump administration plans a review of foreign assistance programs, leading to a three-month suspension of aid. If the decision to terminate PEPFAR becomes reality, projections indicate that upwards of 600,000 deaths could occur in South Africa within the next decade, underscoring the grave stakes involved in the current health crisis.
The halt of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), established under former President George W. Bush and credited with saving millions of lives, was unexpectedly announced by the administration. Health care advocates and patients are now bracing for a potential return to a time when H.I.V. infections surged uncontrollably across Africa, leading to despair and countless fatalities.
Standing outside the frame of uncertainty and confusion, Sibusiso faced an immediate crisis; he had just consumed his last available dose of antiretroviral medication. Despite the administration’s later claims that distributions could resume, the clinic's closure left him uncertain about his next steps. "I’m now thinking of dying," he lamented, struggling to comprehend a future without access to medication.
Reportedly, the Trump administration plans a review of foreign assistance programs, leading to a three-month suspension of aid. If the decision to terminate PEPFAR becomes reality, projections indicate that upwards of 600,000 deaths could occur in South Africa within the next decade, underscoring the grave stakes involved in the current health crisis.
