Trump’s Order Freezes HIV Treatment Funds

U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order freezing foreign aid funding has now impacted the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This makes yet another affected foreign project that raises global concerns.

The International AIDS Society (IAS) says this action will affect the lives of over 20 million people who rely on the program for HIV treatment.

On his first day in office, Trump signed an order halting new foreign aid spending. This was followed by a “stop-work order” on January 24, which froze funding to PEPFAR, including existing grants and contracts.

“This is a matter of life or death,” said Beatriz Grinsztejn, IAS President. “It makes no sense to suddenly stop this incredible catalyst of our global progress towards ending HIV as a threat to public health and individual well-being.”

Since its launch in 2003, PEPFAR has saved 26 million lives and invested over $110 billion in the global fight against HIV. The IAS is calling on policymakers to restore funding, stressing that without it, HIV could resurge and lives will be lost.