Health
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Trump's Cuts Condemned: Millions Face HIV Death Risk
Trump's Cuts Condemned: Millions Face Increased HIV Death Risk
The Trump administration's drastic cuts to global health programs are causing a humanitarian crisis, leaving millions vulnerable to preventable diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS. Reports from Zambia paint a grim picture of the consequences, with clinics closing, medication shortages, and patients suffering from the resurgence of the virus due to interrupted treatment.
NPR's reporting from Zambia details the struggles of individuals directly impacted. Mary Mayongana, 42, hasn't consistently accessed her HIV medication for over two months due to the closure of her U.S.-funded clinic. She's experiencing weakness, an itchy rash, and a painful sore, all indicative of the virus's resurgence. Ten-year-old Dorcas Mwanza, and her mother, Theresa, also face similar challenges, experiencing fever and chills after their medication supply ran out. The closure of their clinic, which served over 2,000 patients, also eliminated access to vital food assistance crucial for medication absorption. House painter Brian Chiluba, 56, reports debilitating weakness after losing access to his HIV medication of 15 years. Sixteen-year-old Catherine Mwaloe worries about affording future medication after her U.S.-funded clinic shut down.
A preprint study published in conjunction with The Lancet projects the devastating consequences of the cuts on a global scale. The study models a potential increase of over 15 million HIV/AIDS deaths, more than 2 million additional deaths from tuberculosis, and nearly 8 million additional child deaths from other preventable causes by 2040 if funding remains cut. The study also forecasts tens of millions of unplanned pregnancies and as many as 16 million unsafe abortions resulting from the collapse of family planning programs. This crisis is particularly acute given the disruption to PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), a program credited with saving tens of millions of lives and preventing nearly 8 million HIV infections in children since 2023. The Trump administration’s actions, coupled with the expiration of PEPFAR's authorization and subsequent funding only through September, severely jeopardize this vital program. The George W. Bush Presidential Center has strongly criticized the administration for undermining PEPFAR. One estimate suggests that a freeze on tuberculosis funding alone has already caused 11,000 deaths.
The Independent reports that the cuts could cause Aids-related deaths to jump from six to ten million in the next five years. The number of Aids orphans could increase by more than three million by the end of the decade. These drastic consequences have drawn widespread condemnation, with Peter Tatchell calling the cuts a “death sentence to millions” and former Tory international development secretary Sir Andrew Mitchell describing the situation as “a tragedy.” Organizations like Oxfam and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warn of the devastating impact on various health programs and the increased vulnerability of already at-risk populations. The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment.
The Trump administration's drastic cuts to global health programs are causing a humanitarian crisis, leaving millions vulnerable to preventable diseases, particularly HIV/AIDS. Reports from Zambia paint a grim picture of the consequences, with clinics closing, medication shortages, and patients suffering from the resurgence of the virus due to interrupted treatment.
NPR's reporting from Zambia details the struggles of individuals directly impacted. Mary Mayongana, 42, hasn't consistently accessed her HIV medication for over two months due to the closure of her U.S.-funded clinic. She's experiencing weakness, an itchy rash, and a painful sore, all indicative of the virus's resurgence. Ten-year-old Dorcas Mwanza, and her mother, Theresa, also face similar challenges, experiencing fever and chills after their medication supply ran out. The closure of their clinic, which served over 2,000 patients, also eliminated access to vital food assistance crucial for medication absorption. House painter Brian Chiluba, 56, reports debilitating weakness after losing access to his HIV medication of 15 years. Sixteen-year-old Catherine Mwaloe worries about affording future medication after her U.S.-funded clinic shut down.
A preprint study published in conjunction with The Lancet projects the devastating consequences of the cuts on a global scale. The study models a potential increase of over 15 million HIV/AIDS deaths, more than 2 million additional deaths from tuberculosis, and nearly 8 million additional child deaths from other preventable causes by 2040 if funding remains cut. The study also forecasts tens of millions of unplanned pregnancies and as many as 16 million unsafe abortions resulting from the collapse of family planning programs. This crisis is particularly acute given the disruption to PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), a program credited with saving tens of millions of lives and preventing nearly 8 million HIV infections in children since 2023. The Trump administration’s actions, coupled with the expiration of PEPFAR's authorization and subsequent funding only through September, severely jeopardize this vital program. The George W. Bush Presidential Center has strongly criticized the administration for undermining PEPFAR. One estimate suggests that a freeze on tuberculosis funding alone has already caused 11,000 deaths.
The Independent reports that the cuts could cause Aids-related deaths to jump from six to ten million in the next five years. The number of Aids orphans could increase by more than three million by the end of the decade. These drastic consequences have drawn widespread condemnation, with Peter Tatchell calling the cuts a “death sentence to millions” and former Tory international development secretary Sir Andrew Mitchell describing the situation as “a tragedy.” Organizations like Oxfam and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) warn of the devastating impact on various health programs and the increased vulnerability of already at-risk populations. The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment.
