The Trump administration has unexpectedly ended its program to provide HIV care to mothers and children in low-income countries. The move has raised concerns about how vulnerable groups will receive essential medical treatment. The program, which was managed by U.S. health officials at the CDC, State Department, and USAID, helped prevent HIV transmission from mothers to babies and treat infected children.
The sudden termination of the program has left a shortage of staff to run it, threatening the lives of millions of people in Africa and Asia. A study published in The Lancet warns that cutting off PEPFAR support could lead to 1 million new HIV infections and nearly 500,000 AIDS-related deaths by 2030.
The program’s elimination comes as pregnant women with HIV are treated at prenatal clinics, reducing the risk of infecting their babies from 1 in 3 to less than 1%. The loss of coordination on HIV drug deliveries and medicine shortages will also make it harder for countries to manage the crisis.
Source: https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2025-04-09/key-hiv-care-teams-let-go-putting-mothers-and-children-at-risk