WHO Warns Nigeria Could Face HIV Drug Shortage Due to U.S. Aid Pause

WHO Warns Nigeria Could Face HIV Drug Shortage Due to U.S. Aid Pause

The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed Nigeria among eight countries at risk of running out of HIV treatment supplies in the coming months. This warning follows the U.S. government's decision to halt foreign aid, a move that has "substantially disrupted" the distribution of antiretroviral drugs.

According to WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, other affected countries include Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ukraine. He cautioned that the disruption could undo two decades of progress in combating HIV, potentially leading to over 10 million new infections and three million HIV-related deaths.

Ghebreyesus emphasized the need for responsible transition planning when withdrawing foreign aid. "The United States has a responsibility to ensure that if it withdraws direct funding for countries, it's done in an orderly and humane way that allows them to find alternative sources of funding," he stated.