“The disruption caused by the initial freeze was immense.”
“Whatever the reasons and politics of Pepfar’s decline, the ending of US support for global HIV programmes is a disaster for those in low and middle-income countries. In South Africa, for instance, Pepfar supports around 17% of the budget of the world’s biggest HIV programme. Around 8 million people live with HIV, and around 5.5 million people are being treated, most of whom are supported by Pepfar funds. The immediate challenge is now to fund ongoing treatment in the weeks and months to come before an alternative secure source of funding can be found.
But even if new funding can be found, the knock-on impact will be serious. The disruption caused by the initial freeze was immense. And the crisis in addressing HIV will also impact wider health issues, especially TB, sexual and reproductive health care. A report published prior to the confirmation of Pepfar’s destruction, suggested ending US support could lead to an additional 565,000 new infections and 601,000 more deaths over the next decade.”