US funding cuts deal blow to global HIV treatment: Report
US funding cuts to PEPFAR have severely impacted global HIV treatment organizations, forcing clinic closures and staff reductions across 46 countries. A report by amfAR found over 1,700 clinics closed and 16,000 workers lost jobs, with PEPFAR-supported treatment reaching 77,000 fewer children in 2025, a 14 percent decline.
Global HIV treatment programmes have experienced significant disruption following reductions in US funding for PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, according to findings released this week by the HIV charity amfAR. The organization surveyed 166 entities across 46 countries that depend on PEPFAR support and documented widespread operational challenges resulting from delayed or cancelled funding awards.
The impact has been substantial across multiple dimensions. More than 1,700 clinics have ceased operations, and employment losses exceeded 16,000 positions. Service provision to vulnerable populations—including sex workers, transgender individuals, gay men, and people who use drugs—was discontinued by approximately three-quarters of surveyed organizations. Paediatric HIV treatment also suffered markedly, with approximately 77,000 fewer children receiving PEPFAR-supported care in 2025 compared to the previous year, representing a 14 percent reduction.
The US Department of State has contested these findings, asserting that PEPFAR has strengthened under revised strategic priorities. Officials cited preliminary 2025 data suggesting treatment levels remained stable, though researchers contend that partial-year figures obscure a more substantial decline evident when full annual data is analysed.
The United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS has projected severe consequences should these reductions persist. The organization estimates that permanent funding cuts could result in 6.6 million additional HIV infections and 4.2 million additional AIDS deaths by 2029. Beyond the United States, other major donors including France, Germany, and the United Kingdom have also reduced foreign assistance commitments, compounding challenges for humanitarian organizations. UNAIDS reported a 25 percent funding decrease in the previous year, according to executive director Winnie Byanyima, who emphasized the necessity for systemic adaptation and health sovereignty in Africa, which bears the world's highest HIV disease burden.
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