President Donald Trump’s administration has reportedly halted the distribution of HIV medications purchased with U.S. aid, according to reports.
This includes medications already stocked in local clinics and ready for HIV-positive patients.
The Times revealed that this decision is part of a broader 90-day freeze on foreign aid, significantly impacting the $7.5 billion President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), managed by the Department of State. Global health experts have expressed shock over the suspension of drug distribution, with Jirair Ratevosian, former PEPFAR chief of staff under President Joe Biden, calling the move “devastating.”
He noted that it jeopardizes lives and leaves critical programs in disarray.
A study cited by the Times warns that dismantling PEPFAR could result in as many as 600,000 deaths in South Africa over the next decade. Asia Russell, executive director of Health Gap, added that this decision has shaken the organization’s partners, who are now struggling to maintain their life-saving efforts.
This development follows another controversial health directive in which the Trump administration ordered the CDC to cease communications with the World Health Organization. Last week, President Trump announced the U.S. withdrawal from the WHO, citing its mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic and failure to enact necessary reforms.
