The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Nigeria is at risk of running out of HIV medications due to the suspension of US foreign aid, which has disrupted the supply of essential treatments.
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WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus made the statement on Monday, warning that the aid cut has affected HIV treatment supplies in Nigeria, Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ukraine.
Ghebreyesus cautioned that if the shortages persist, these countries could deplete their HIV treatment stocks within months. He noted that disruptions to HIV programs could reverse two decades of progress, potentially leading to over 10 million new HIV cases and three million HIV-related deaths.
The suspension of US foreign aid has also impacted global efforts to combat polio, malaria, and tuberculosis. The WHO-coordinated Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network is at risk of shutting down, a critical concern amid the resurgence of measles in the US.
Ghebreyesus stressed the need for the US to ensure a smooth transition, allowing affected countries to seek alternative funding sources. The funding crisis has already impacted healthcare services in Afghanistan, where 167 WHO-supported health facilities have shut down as of March 4, with up to 80% of essential services at risk of closure.
Adding to the challenges, the US’s planned withdrawal from WHO has forced the agency to freeze hiring and cut budgets. As part of its financial restructuring, WHO is reducing its emergency operations funding target from $1.2 billion to $872 million for the 2026-2027 period.
