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| International-UN-NGOs | ||
| US cuts to [UN] HIV aid will cost millions of lives | ||
| 2025-03-25 | ||
It would mark a stark reversal in the global fight against HIV, which has seen the number of deaths from the disease decrease from more than two million in 2004 to 600,000 in 2023, the most recent year for which figures are available. UNAids Executive Director Winnie Byanyima said the US government's decision to pause foreign aid - which included funding for HIV programmes - was already having devastating consequences. She called on the US to reverse the cuts immediately, warning women and girls were being hit particularly hard. US President Donald Trump announced the pause on foreign aid, for an initial 90 days, on his first day in office in January as part of a review into government spending. The majority of the US Agency for International Development's (USAID) programmes have since been terminated. Many US-financed HIV treatment and prevention programmes received stop work orders, leading to the closure of mother and baby clinics in Africa, and severe shortages of life saving anti-retroviral (ARV) medicines. Ms Byanyima said she feared a return to the 1990s, when HIV medication was scarcely available in poorer countries, and infections and deaths soared. The US has for years been the single biggest funder of HIV treatment and prevention, and Ms Byanima thanked Washington for its generosity and humanity. She added it was "reasonable" for the US "to want to reduce its funding - over time", but said the "sudden withdrawal of lifesaving support [was] having a devastating impact". There has been no sign that Washington is listening to appeals to change course. Traditional aid donors in Europe also plan funding cuts, and UNAids - the joint UN agency which combats HIV - has had no indication that other countries might step in to fill the gap left by the US.
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| Posted by:Skidmark |
| #7 Maybe, England, Russia, Iran, Soddi, and the rest just might want to chip in a little more if they are so concerned. And a note to BBC, if it is so important, the UN will take directed donations. |
| Posted by: 49 Pan 2025-03-25 11:42 |
| #6 They don't know what a woman is. The world's smallest violin is playing for the UN. |
| Posted by: Jairong+Scourge+of+the+Gepids2435 2025-03-25 10:59 |
| #5 Paging Charles Darwin to the white courtesy phone. |
| Posted by: alanc 2025-03-25 10:21 |
| #4 Banning DDT has killed far more in Africa. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2025-03-25 07:46 |
| #3 'Culling the herd', as a secondary effect of responsible fiscal management and irresponsible sexual behavior. |
| Posted by: Skidmark 2025-03-25 06:50 |
| #2 So will the other 192 UN members start doing their fair share? Isn't it time to 100% focus on the USA Citizen's needs? Instead of those nations that constantly need and demand more and more. Which never seem to actually change the root causes for their problems. Then time after time bite the USA in the ass, despite what all the US Taxpayers have done for them? eg. Somalia Or could it also be, Big Pharma, the MEGA-Political Donor, whining that it's going to lose $$$$$ and can't spread as much $$$$ around the next election? |
| Posted by: NN2N1 2025-03-25 04:37 |
| #1 “She called on the US to reverse the cuts immediately, warning women and girls were being hit particularly hard.” What is the basis of that assertion? Is it only possible to define a woman in a third world setting? |
| Posted by: Super Hose 2025-03-25 04:25 |