Trump Suspends Vital HIV Aid to Nigeria, Others

Kehinde Fajobi

The US government has suspended financial support for HIV treatment programmes in Nigeria and other developing countries due to an executive order signed by President Donald Trump.

This decision has resulted in a 90-day halt to disbursements from the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a US initiative offering HIV/AIDS treatment across Africa and other regions.

The suspension follows an executive order issued on Trump’s first day in office, directing all foreign development aid agencies to pause the distribution of funds. PEPFAR, which has an annual budget of $6.5 billion, has provided life-saving HIV/AIDS treatment to over 20.6 million people globally and has been credited with saving 26 million lives since its inception.

NPR reports that the suspension of PEPFAR funding could last for at least three months unless the programme receives an exemption.

Public health experts are voicing concerns about the potential long-term effects, including fears that the Trump administration may permanently terminate the programme.

US State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce stated, “We are no longer going to blindly dole out money with no return for the American people.”

Nigeria, one of the countries most affected by HIV, is expected to feel the brunt of the suspension.

With around two million Nigerians living with HIV, PEPFAR has been a vital source of life-saving medication and healthcare infrastructure support.

Over the years, the programme has contributed more than $6 billion to Nigeria’s national HIV/AIDS response, playing a key role in saving lives and controlling the virus’s spread.

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