By Staff Reporter
The AIDS and Rights Alliance for Southern Africa (ARASA) and its regional partners have strongly condemned the recent cuts in United States (US) funding for HIV and tuberculosis (TB) programs, warning of catastrophic consequences for millions of vulnerable people across East and Southern Africa.
In January 2025, the US government implemented a blanket freeze on foreign aid, halting funding for crucial HIV and TB prevention, treatment, and care programs. Despite a waiver issued by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a temporary restraining order (TRO) against the freeze, program implementation remained suspended, depriving millions of essential healthcare services.
On February 25, US District Judge Amir H. Ali ruled in favor of global health organizations, ordering the US government to pay all invoices submitted before February 13. However, the government appealed the ruling, and on February 26, Supreme Court Justice John Roberts upheld the freeze on payments. The same day, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) announced the termination of over 90% of its foreign aid contracts, affecting nearly 10,000 projects, including many granted waivers for humanitarian assistance.
Impact on HIV and TB Programs
ARASA and its partners outlined the dire consequences of these funding cuts, which have already begun to take effect:
- Disruption of treatment and care: The suspension and subsequent termination of life-saving HIV and TB services put millions of lives at risk, particularly those relying on free antiretroviral (ARV) therapy and TB medication.
- Halted prevention programs: Key populations—including people living with HIV, LGBTQ+ communities, sex workers, and people who use drugs—face increased exposure due to discontinued outreach and prevention efforts.
- Deepening inequalities: Gender and human rights programs have been among the first to be cut, further marginalizing already vulnerable groups.
- Widespread job losses: Thousands of healthcare workers, community volunteers, and civil society organizations have lost funding, leading to the collapse of essential services.
- Setbacks in UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals: The region risks undoing years of progress toward global HIV targets, with higher infection rates and treatment gaps expected.
Despite the severity of the crisis, ARASA expressed disappointment in the silence of African governments. “Our leaders have failed to respond decisively to this crisis, leaving millions vulnerable,” the statement read.
Call to Action
ARASA and its partners urged governments and international stakeholders to take immediate action to mitigate the impact of the cuts. They called on national governments to increase domestic health financing, allocate at least 5% of GDP to healthcare, and implement taxes on harmful products such as tobacco, alcohol, and sugary beverages to generate additional health funds. They also proposed measures such as debt restructuring and fiscal policy reforms to create sustainable healthcare financing.
Regional bodies, including the Southern African Development Community Parliamentary Forum (SADC PF) and the African Union (AU), were urged to hold governments accountable for meeting their commitments under the 2001 Abuja Declaration, which pledged 15% of national budgets to health.
Civil society organizations were called upon to mobilize advocacy efforts, while international development partners were asked to provide emergency funding to mitigate immediate disruptions and prevent further deterioration of public health systems.
A Looming Public Health Crisis
As the effects of the funding freeze ripple across East and Southern Africa, HIV and TB programs stand on the brink of collapse. Without urgent intervention, millions may lose access to life-saving care, reversing decades of progress in the fight against these diseases. ARASA’s statement serves as a clarion call for urgent, coordinated action to protect the health and rights of those most at risk.
