The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDPENDENT | UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima has warned of the dire consequences of aid cuts to HIV/AIDS by President Donald Trump. She says a pandemic that has been on decline could re surge.
“The consensus behind the old model of development financing is dying. Developing countries aren’t just waiting for disaster to overwhelm them, they are increasing their domestic financing where they can.” sh warned.
Speaking at the ongoing 4th International Conference on Financing for development taking pace in Spain, Byanyima warned that the world could face four million more AIDS-related deaths by 2029 with the aid cuts the US government’s PEPFAR programme.
“And other governments are also cutting their contribution as they focus on other pressing challenges. So here is the danger if we don’t fill the gap that has been caused by the sudden removal of funding for our areas there could see an additional of 6.6 newly infected persons in the world,” she said.
The President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (PEPFAR) is a global program to provide treatment, prevention, and care for people living with or affected by HIV/AIDS. It has been a major funder to AIDS prevention programs in countries like Uganda.
Through PEPFAR, the U.S. Government has invested $70 billion dollars in bilateral HIV/AIDS programs, the Global Fund, and tuberculosis programs.
More than 1.5 million Ugandans are estimated to be living with HIV and AIDS. Since 2004, PEPFAR has collaborated with the Government of Uganda, national, international, and civil society organizations on building Uganda’s capacity to lead the HIV/AIDS response. Focus areas included care and treatment, prevention, impact mitigation, and health systems strengthening.
“The consensus behind the old model of development financing is dying. Developing countries aren’t just waiting for disaster to overwhelm them, they are increasing their domestic financing where they can” she said.
Byanyima said the UNIADS is working with countries to find ways to fund HIV prevention and treatment, and how to transform their programs to be more self-reliant and sustainable.
The PEPFAR stop work orders issued by the US government in January 2025 have devastated the HIV response worldwide, including funding for primary prevention. Sustaining the HIV response and bending the curve of incidence depends on identifying new sources of funding to maintain HIV prevention programs for key populations.
Guidance issued in February 2025 indicated that PrEP services funded by the US government are permitted only for pregnant and lactating people—meaning that KPs, such as LGBTQ+ individuals, sex workers, and people who use drugs, have lost access to PrEP, unless they are currently pregnant or lactating.
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