PEPFAR crisis: US policy changes over global aid

Pink ground surrounding the White House

NOTE: PEPFAR funds are just starting to reach some projects but only for limited services (18 Feb)


Latest newsCHANGE website

On 20 January 2025, President Trump froze international aid programmes including PEPFAR. 

Even though a waiver means that some US-funded services will continue, at least in the short-term, many HIV clinics in low and middle-income countries are still closed.

  • The current crisis WILL be resolved.
  • Clinics that are closed WILL reopen or new clinics will provide care.
  • Access to HIV meds WILL start again.

Many thousand of people are now working to restore services, but this might take time.

News and resources below relate to the changes in US policy to block includes information about PEPFAR.


i-Base reports

Information for people living with HIV

Other daily news

i-Base listing news and resources

  1. US government documents
  2. Community resources
  3. Scientific impact and medical journals
  4. Mainstream news
  5. Court actions and legal challenges
  6. Information for people living with HIV

CHANGE list of news and resources (Google doc)
List of resources by this international activist community network.

Activist organisations

Join CHANGE QR code for WhatsApp group

CHANGE
pepfarwatch.org/pepfar-funding-freeze/

CHANGE is an international network of more than 1000 HIV advocates. It was launched in January 2025 after the first news about changes in US policy.

QR code for WhatsApp network
Join CHANGE QR code
Email: contact.change.2025@gmail.com

HealthGAP
healthgap.org

International AIDS Society
iasociety.org

International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC)

itpcglobal.org

Treatment Action Group (TAG), New York
treatmentactiongroup.org

HIV i-Base: PEPFAR resources (this page)
i-base.info/PEPFAR

Survey
How has PEPFAR STOP WORK affected you and your organisation (Google docs)

About PEPFAR

The U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) PEPFAR was founded in 2003. It is the largest single aid programme and has invested more than US $ 100 billion in saving more than 25 million lives and preventing millions of new infections, including helping more than 7 million babies to be born free of HIV.
In 2024 PEPFAR supported:
  • 20.6 million people on ART.
  • 83.8 million people with HIV testing.
  • 2.3 million adolescent girls and young women for HIV prevention.
  • 2.5 million on PrEP (90% globally) including LA injections.
  • 6.6 million orphans and vulnerable children.
  • 342,000 health workers supported.
References
  1. https://www.hiv.gov/federal-response/pepfar-global-aids/pepfar
  2. https://www.state.gov/where-we-work-pepfar
  3. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5005989/
  4. https://www.state.gov/pepfar-latest-global-results-factsheet-dec-2024/