The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued warnings about an impending scarcity of HIV medications in eight nations, with Nigeria being one of them.
The development impacts six African countries and comes after the U.S. government recently decided to stop foreign assistance.
This caution follows an executive order signed by U.S. President Donald Trump on his inaugural day in office in January, which was part of a larger governmental budget review process.
"Interruptions to HIV programs might reverse two decades of advancements," cautioned WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.
He stated that the disruption might lead to more than 10 million extra HIV cases and three million HIV-associated fatalities, characterizing the impact as "over three times the mortality rate from the previous year."
During a press conference on Monday, Dr. Tedros announced that WHO has included Nigeria, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, and Mali, alongside Haiti and Ukraine, on the list of countries at risk of experiencing critical shortages of essential antiretroviral (ARV) medications.
Nigeria is one of eight nations facing potential shortages in HIV treatments, according to the WHO. This comes as the organization addresses health crises following America’s departure from the WHO. Recently, theWHO provided medical supplies to the government of Borno state.The halt in U.S. foreign assistance, originally planned to last for 90 days, is an element of the Trump administration’s "America First" international strategy and has led to significant consequences for worldwide health programs.
The disturbance has greatly impeded the distribution of essential medical provisions, such as HIV medications, whereas the majority of initiatives supported by the US Agency for International Development (USAID) have already ceased operations.
Even though a waiver was issued in February for the United States' key program aimed at combating HIV, known as the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the initiative has faced significant disruptions because of its dependence on USAID and other affiliated organizations that have also been affected.
Dr. Tedros stated that the circumstances have resulted in "the suspension of HIV treatment, testing, and prevention services in over 50 nations."
PEPFAR, launched in 2003, has played a crucial role in supplying antiretroviral medications to at-risk groups around the world and is estimated to have saved over 26 million lives globally.
Adding to the complexity of the situation, President Trump declared intentions to withdraw the United States from the World Health Organization (WHO) shortly after taking office, a decision anticipated to exacerbate the agency's financial challenges.
"The U.S. administration has shown remarkable generosity for many years. Of course, it retains the right to determine what level of support it provides," stated Dr. Tedros.
“But the US also has a responsibility to ensure that if it withdraws direct funding for countries, it’s done in an orderly and humane way that allows them to find alternative sources of funding.”
Sub-Saharan Africa remains the most affected region globally, with an estimated 25 million people living with HIV, accounting for more than two-thirds of the global total of 38 million. In Nigeria alone, nearly two million people live with the virus, many of whom depend on aid-funded medications. Kenya also ranks among the worst-hit, with around 1.4 million people living with HIV, according to WHO figures.
"We urge the United States to reassess its stance on supporting global health initiatives. These efforts do more than just save lives globally; they enhance U.S. security by stopping potential outbreaks before they can spread across borders," stated Dr. Tedros.
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