The Executive Director of UNAIDS, Winnie Byanyima, has expressed concern over plans by the United States to cut HIV/AIDS funding for South Africa, urging Washington to reconsider the decision.
Byanyima warned that the move could put lives at risk in South Africa, which has the world’s largest population of people living with HIV, while threatening decades of progress made in fighting the disease.
“I’m sad about that. Taking it away is taking away life-saving support from the most vulnerable people. So, that is sad. And I would ask the United States to reconsider their position,” Byanyima said.
U.S. President Donald Trump froze several foreign aid programmes early in his administration before restoring some life-saving assistance, including parts of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Although South Africa finances its HIV treatment programme domestically, PEPFAR previously provided more than $400 million annually and supported the salaries of about 15,000 health workers.
Byanyima said South Africa has about eight million people living with HIV, adding that the U.S. programme had contributed as much as 17 percent of the country’s HIV funding.
She also raised concerns over declining global development assistance from traditional donor countries in Europe and North America, warning that reduced funding could have far-reaching consequences.
“Please do not take money away because you are taking lives away. Have a planned transition,” she said.
Byanyima said global efforts to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 had recorded progress, with 32.1 million of the estimated 40 million people living with HIV currently receiving treatment.
However, she cautioned that the gains remain fragile, noting that UNAIDS data showed nine million people still lacked access to treatment, while 1.2 million new infections were recorded in 2025.
According to her, recent funding reductions are already affecting HIV services and could lead to a resurgence of infections in countries with high disease burdens.
She said HIV testing rates in high-prevalence countries had fallen by 22 per cent, while some countries recorded a 90 per cent decline in condom distribution.
“We are seeing early signs of serious reversals in our progress… the trend that has been going down may now reverse and start rising,” she said.
SOURCE: NAN
