In a late shift, U.S. Senate Republicans abandoned a proposed $400 million cut to PEPFAR, the flagship HIV/AIDS relief program that supports millions across Africa.
- U.S. Senate Republicans withdrew a proposed $400 million funding cut to the PEPFAR program.
- PEPFAR is a U.S. global initiative combating HIV/AIDS, significantly aiding African regions.
- Critics warned that funding cuts could reverse progress, endangering ongoing HIV treatment efforts.
The decision preserves vital funding for treatment, testing, and prevention efforts, and averts what many global health advocates warned would have been a major setback in the fight against AIDS.
The BBC reports that U.S. Senators have backed away from a proposal to cut $400 million from PEPFAR, the global HIV/AIDS relief program, as part of a larger $9 billion rescissions package aimed at canceling previously approved federal funding.
Multiple U.S. senators from both parties raised concerns about the proposed cuts to PEPFAR, a landmark HIV/AIDS program launched by ex-President George W. Bush and credited with saving tens of millions of lives globally.
Republican Senate Majority Whip John Thune acknowledged there was “a lot of interest” in preserving the program’s funding, according to the BBC.
The decision comes amid former President Trump’s broader efforts to reduce U.S. spending on global health and humanitarian aid under his “America First” policy.
His administration consistently pushed for cuts to foreign assistance, including key programs like PEPFAR.
A mathematical modeling study published in eClinicalMedicine highlights PEPFAR’s pivotal role in expanding access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) across sub-Saharan Africa.
Since its launch, the number of people receiving ART in the region has surged from nearly zero in the early 2000s to around 21 million by 2023.
This expansion led to a dramatic decline in HIV/AIDS-related deaths, from 2.2 million in 2003 to 390,000 as well as a sharp drop in new infections, from 3.2 million to 640,000 over the same period.
The proposed rollback has drawn sharp criticism from global leaders and public health experts, who warn that slashing such funding could lead to a resurgence of HIV cases, particularly in low-income countries where U.S. support constitutes a significant share of healthcare funding.
Domestic budgets boost HIV response
Under President Trump’s administration, proposed cuts to global HIV programs led to major setbacks in countries heavily dependent on U.S. funding, many of them in Africa.
Clinics in some regions were forced to scale back or shut down entirely, interrupting life-saving treatment for thousands.
UNAIDS reports that over 26 million lives have been saved through global HIV efforts, stating: “New HIV infections have been reduced by 40% since 2010, and 4.4 million children have been protected from acquiring HIV since 2000.”
The agency, however, warned that “if the world does not act, there could be an extra six million new HIV infections and four million AIDS-related deaths by 2029.”
The global health body also highlighted the ripple effects of reduced international HIV funding, noting that many of the hardest-hit countries are responding by increasing domestic investments.
“Some 25 of the 60 low- and middle-income countries included in the report have indicated increases in domestic budgets for their HIV responses in 2026,” it stated.
“The projected collective rise, an estimated 8% or roughly USD 180 million, is seen as encouraging, but the report cautions this is “not sufficient to replace the scale of international funding in countries that are heavily reliant.”
Despite broader efforts to cut U.S. federal spending, the recent Senate reversal of proposed PEPFAR cuts reflects continued bipartisan support for a program widely credited with saving lives and reinforcing Africa’s public health systems.
