Weezha Roz-The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed deep concern over the consequences of the immediate suspension of funding for HIV programs in low- and middle-income countries.
These programs provide access to life-saving HIV treatments for more than 30 million people worldwide.
In a statement, the WHO stated that halting the funding for these programs could put individuals living with HIV at immediate increased risk of illness and death and undermine efforts to prevent transmission in various communities and countries.
The statement further mentioned that if these measures continue, they could lead to an increase in new infections and deaths, potentially reversing decades of progress, and taking the world back to the 1980s and 1990s when millions lost their lives to HIV, including many in the United States.
The global health body adds that the suspension of this aid comes at a time when millions of people worldwide, including many in the United States, died due to HIV-related complications.
For the global community, this could result in significant setbacks in collaborative efforts and investments in scientific advancements, which have been the foundation of successful public health programs, including innovative diagnostics, affordable medicines, and community-based HIV care models.
The WHO has called on the United States government to provide additional exemptions to ensure the delivery of life-saving HIV treatment and care.
Weezha Roz
