AHCWG Raises Alarm Over U.S. Pause on HIV Aid: Millions at Risk, Urgent Policy Shift Need

Nairobi, Kenya—

The African-led HIV Control Working Group (AHCWG) has this month expressed deep concern following the U.S. President’s Executive Order issued on January 20, 2025, which paused all foreign aid funding for 90 days. This decision has significantly disrupted the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program that has been instrumental in global health since 2004, saving over 26 million lives and providing life-saving treatment for more than 20 million people, primarily in African countries.

The AHCWG warns that halting funding for such a crucial public health initiative risks reversing years of progress in controlling the HIV epidemic. The decision has caused widespread uncertainty among U.S. Government (USG) funding agencies, implementing partners, and most critically, the millions of people living with HIV (PLHIV) who depend on these services for survival.

Immediate and Long-Term Implications

The pause on funding affects essential services such as HIV testing, prevention, care, and treatment programs, particularly for vulnerable populations, including adolescent girls, young women, men who have sex with men, and sex workers. Notably, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a key intervention for preventing new HIV infections, is excluded from the waiver issued under the Executive Order.

The suspension has already disrupted HIV care, threatening the fragile health systems that have been built over decades with PEPFAR support. The AHCWG compares the impact of the Executive Order to a “bombshell” that has eroded trust and security among PLHIV and jeopardized health responses to other public health threats such as COVID-19, Ebola, and Mpox.

Call for Action and Strategic Shifts

In its response, AHCWG has called for the following urgent actions:

1. Immediate Reinstatement of Funding: Full and immediate restoration of PEPFAR and other USG funded HIV programs to prevent catastrophic health outcomes.
2. Clear Communication and Policy Transparency: Detailed communication regarding the future of HIV funding to avoid speculation and panic among stakeholders.
3. Increased Domestic Resource Mobilization: African governments must reduce over-reliance on external donors and invest in sustainable health systems by allocating domestic funding for HIV response. This includes defining required capacity and cost structures for critical services such as testing, prevention, and treatment.
4. Strategic Collaboration for Health System Independence: Enhanced partnerships between African governments and global stakeholders to build the capacity necessary for long-term health security and self-reliance.

A Pivotal Moment for African Leadership

The AHCWG emphasizes that the current crisis underscores the inherent risks of donor dependence for essential health services. The group is urging African leaders to treat this disruption as a turning point for reevaluating national health strategies. With increased domestic investment and local solutions, African countries can safeguard their populations and ensure the continuity of critical health services.

"Now is the time for African governments to take bold and decisive steps toward health care independence," the AHCWG stated. "The health and well-being of millions of people cannot remain

vulnerable to external funding decisions."

As the global community closely monitors developments, the next 90 days will be critical in determining the future trajectory of HIV programs across Africa. The AHCWG remains committed to addressing the challenges posed by the Executive Order while advocating for sustainable, Africa-led solutions for health security.