The International AIDS Society (IAS) has raised alarm over the U.S. government’s decision to freeze funding for the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), claiming it could put the lives of millions of people at risk and jeopardize the ongoing progress in the battle against HIV/AIDS.
Launched in 2003, Pepfar is an initiative created to de-escalate the spread of the deadly disease and provide victims with necessary treatment. This program, according to IAS, has saved over 25 million lives since its launch by President George Bush.
However, following a series of political disagreements in Washington, there has been a delay in reactivating Pepfar, leaving millions of people, especially those in low- and middle-income countries, vulnerable.
“Pepfar is the most successful global health program in history, and its suspension will have catastrophic consequences for people living with and affected by HIV,” said Sharon Lewin, President of the IAS. “Without renewed funding, vital HIV prevention, treatment, and care services will be severely disrupted—a setback the world cannot afford.”
The IAS called on U.S. lawmakers to immediately restore funding to Pepfar, insisting that the activeness of the program is important to actualizing the UN goal of ending AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.
“We call on the U.S. government to prioritize lives over politics and ensure that Pepfar continues its lifesaving work,” the statement concluded.
