President Donald Trump’s directive to pause foreign aid has caused widespread alarm among aid workers in Africa, forcing crucial HIV treatment trials to an unexpected halt.
Last week, Trump announced the temporary suspension of foreign assistance, while his wealthy supporter Elon Musk claimed he was subjecting the US humanitarian agency USAID to strict evaluation.
One major effect of this decision is a 90-day halt on operations by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). This program, which provides care for over 20 million HIV patients and employs 270,000 healthcare workers, has been significantly disrupted, according to the Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR).
Among its efforts, PEPFAR supplies anti-retroviral treatment to 679,936 pregnant women with HIV to safeguard their health and prevent transmission to their babies, the analysis reported.
“During a 90-day stoppage, we estimate that this would mean 135,987 babies acquiring HIV,” it said.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, now the interim head of USAID, has stated that “life-saving treatments” will not be impacted by the suspension.
However, medical workers in Africa indicate that some health facilities have already ceased operations.
“As we speak nothing is going on,” said Daniel Aghan, who leads a USAID-backed group of Kenyan science journalists covering health issues.
He told AFP that various research projects had abruptly stopped, including those involving patients already enrolled in clinical trials.
One affected program is MOSAIC (Maximizing Options to Advance Informed Choice for HIV Prevention), a PEPFAR-funded initiative that tests new treatments and vaccines for HIV.
“The people who were the study candidates are going to have adverse health results because the study has just stopped all of a sudden,” Aghan told AFP.
His own team of six health-focused journalists has also lost their jobs as a result.
“A lot of people are going to die because of lack of knowledge,” he said. “One of the key strategies to reducing HIV numbers in Africa is sharing critical health information. This includes educating people about sexual health and treatments such as lenacapavir (an antiretroviral), pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis, and other medications.”
– ‘Life and death’ –
Established in 1961, USAID operates on an annual budget exceeding $40 billion, funding global projects in development, healthcare, and humanitarian aid, particularly in underprivileged areas.
The effects of the freeze extend beyond HIV-related programs.
A worker at a USAID-supported initiative in Kenya described Trump’s decision as shocking, saying it had left people in distress.
“We will have more people succumbing to these diseases like tuberculosis, cholera,” the source said.
With funding on hold, the charity can no longer cover rent or staff wages, forcing employees into unpaid leave.
At a USAID office in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, AFP observed workers clearing out their desks on Wednesday.
Despite Rubio’s claim that essential treatments would continue, a staff member from an NGO focused on food security in conflict zones expressed uncertainty.
“What constitutes life-saving work? Are vaccines life-saving, or nutrition programs for the severely malnourished?” he asked.
“Stopping some of these programs even for a few days could mean life or death for some of the people we serve,” he added.
Aghan, like many others, believes the fallout could have been mitigated if advance notice had been given.
“We have too many emergencies in the world -– we didn’t need to add another one,” he said.
