KIGALI, Rwanda, July 16, 2025
US Funding Cuts Risk Decades of HIV Progress
Public health expert warns that reduced U.S. investment in global HIV prevention programs jeopardizes hard-won gains.
- U.S. funding cuts to PEPFAR could reverse decades of progress in the global HIV response.
- PEPFAR supported HIV testing for 84 million and treatment for 20.6 million in 2024.
- Infectious diseases don’t respect borders, making international collaboration crucial.
- Despite concerns, hope remains for prevention tools and global health community efforts.
The United States’ recent pullback from funding global HIV prevention through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is raising alarms among public health experts.
Why are U.S. funding cuts to PEPFAR a concern for HIV prevention efforts?
Mulugeta Gebregziabher, a professor of public health at the Medical University of South Carolina, expressed deep concern. He presented his views this week at the IAS 2025 meeting in Kigali, Rwanda, a gathering for researchers and professionals focused on HIV prevention and treatment.
Gebregziabher, a U.S. citizen originally from Africa, emphasized PEPFAR’s pivotal role in combating HIV worldwide.
A 2025 UNAIDS report shows PEPFAR’s impact: it supported HIV testing for 84 million people and provided treatment for 20.6 million in 2024 alone. He cautioned that the administration’s decision to slash prevention funding jeopardizes decades of progress.
Domestic Impact and Disparities
Domestically, the situation mirrors the global challenge. “In the United States, there are approximately 1.2 million people living with HIV/AIDS, and 13% of them don’t even know it,” Gebregziabher stated, highlighting the critical need for testing.
He added that HIV/AIDS disproportionately affects racial and ethnic minorities, gay and bisexual individuals, and men who have sex with men.
A Call for Global Leadership
Gebregziabher expects U.S. leadership in this critical health area. This is particularly important as the country disinvests from agencies like the CDC and USAID and withdraws from the World Health Organization (WHO).
He stressed that infectious diseases do not recognize borders and that international collaboration is essential right now.
Gebregziabher’s views are his own and do not represent the U.S. government institutions he is affiliated with.
Hope for the Future
Despite these serious concerns, Gebregziabher remains optimistic. He sees great promise in prevention tools like PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis).
He believes the global health community will unite to maintain momentum toward crucial goals. These include the 95-95-95 targets: diagnosing 95% of people with HIV, ensuring 95% of those diagnosed are on treatment, and achieving viral suppression in 95% of those treated.
However, he issued a stark warning: without consistent U.S. leadership and financial support, both domestic and international HIV efforts risk losing vital momentum.
