The head of UNAIDS has warned that proposed cuts to US funding for HIV programs could have devastating consequences, potentially costing millions of lives worldwide. The United States is the largest donor to global HIV/AIDS initiatives, and reductions in financial support could severely impact treatment, prevention, and care efforts, especially in developing nations.
According to UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, the funding cuts would reverse years of progress in fighting the disease, leaving vulnerable populations without access to life-saving medication and healthcare services. She emphasized that many low-income countries rely heavily on US-backed programs to provide antiretroviral therapy and testing services.
Health experts fear that without sustained funding, infection rates could rise, and global efforts to end HIV as a public health threat by 2030 may be derailed. Byanyima urged the US government to reconsider the cuts, stressing that continued support is crucial to maintaining progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
