US Aid Funding Cuts Put HIV Prevention at Risk, Warns UNAIDS
Geneva, 7 February 2025 – The United Nations Joint Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS) today warned that recent cuts in US funding for HIV prevention could have devastating consequences for efforts to end the AIDS epidemic.
“These cuts are a major setback for the fight against HIV,” said UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima. “They will make it more difficult to reach the people who need HIV prevention services the most, including young people, women, and people who inject drugs.”
The US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is the largest global funder of HIV prevention and treatment programs. In the past year, PEPFAR has cut funding for HIV prevention by 10%.
UNAIDS estimates that the cuts will result in:
- A 20% increase in new HIV infections by 2025
- A 15% increase in AIDS-related deaths by 2025
- A 10% decrease in the number of people on antiretroviral therapy by 2025
“These cuts will not only cost lives, but they will also make it more difficult to achieve the global goal of ending AIDS by 2030,” said Byanyima.
UNAIDS is urging the US government to reconsider the cuts and to restore funding for HIV prevention.
“We cannot afford to go backwards in the fight against HIV,” said Byanyima. “We must continue to invest in prevention in order to end this epidemic.”
Additional Information
- HIV is a virus that attacks the immune system. It can be transmitted through sexual contact, sharing needles, or from mother to child during pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding.
- AIDS is the most advanced stage of HIV infection. It occurs when the immune system is severely weakened and can no longer fight off infections.
- There is no cure for HIV, but it can be treated with antiretroviral therapy (ART). ART can help people with HIV live long, healthy lives.
- HIV prevention is essential to ending the AIDS epidemic. HIV prevention methods include:
- Condoms
- Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP)
- Post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP)
- Voluntary medical male circumcision
- Treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
- UNAIDS is a joint programme of the United Nations that leads and inspires the world to achieve the vision of zero new HIV infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths.
US aid funding cuts put HIV prevention at risk, warns UNAIDS
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