The World Health Organization (WHO) has identified Nigeria, along with seven other nations, as at risk of imminently running out of HIV treatment supplies.
This situation is attributed to the Trump administration’s decision to temporarily halt U.S. foreign aid, which has significantly disrupted the distribution of these vital medications.
According to WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, Nigeria, Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ukraine face the possibility of exhausting their HIV treatment stocks in the coming months.
He warned that these disruptions could reverse two decades of progress in combating HIV, potentially leading to over 10 million new HIV cases and three million HIV-related deaths.
The U.S. foreign aid pause, implemented shortly after President Trump assumed office, has affected efforts to control HIV, polio, malaria, and tuberculosis.
The WHO-coordinated Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network also faces potential closure, coinciding with a resurgence of measles in the U.S.
Ghebreyesus emphasized the U.S.’s responsibility to ensure a responsible and humane transition if it withdraws direct funding, allowing affected countries to secure alternative funding sources.
Additionally, funding shortages threaten the closure of 80% of WHO-supported essential healthcare services in Afghanistan.
The U.S.’s plan to withdraw from the WHO has necessitated budget cuts and a hiring freeze within the agency, which relies heavily on U.S. funding.
The WHO announced it plans to reduce its emergency operations funding target for the 2026-2027 budget period.
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