By Ayomide Otitoju
The World Health Organization (WHO) has listed Nigeria among eight countries at risk of running out of HIV treatment supplies due to disruptions caused by the suspension of U.S. foreign aid under the Trump administration.
According to a Reuters report quoting WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus, Nigeria, Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ukraine could deplete their HIV medication stocks in the coming months.
“The disruptions to HIV programs could undo 20 years of progress,” Ghebreyesus warned during a press conference, adding that the situation could lead to over 10 million new HIV cases and three million HIV-related deaths.
Since taking office in January, President Donald Trump has halted U.S. foreign aid, significantly affecting global health initiatives targeting HIV, polio, malaria, and tuberculosis.
The WHO also disclosed that the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, which operates over 700 sites worldwide, faces imminent shutdown at a time when measles cases are resurging in the United States.
Ghebreyesus urged the U.S. government to ensure that any withdrawal of funding is done “in an orderly and humane way that allows affected countries to find alternative sources of support.”
Additionally, the WHO warned that funding shortages could force the closure of 80% of its supported essential healthcare services in Afghanistan. As of March 4, 167 health facilities had already shut down, with more than 220 at risk of closure by June unless urgent intervention is secured.
The U.S. government’s plans to exit the WHO have further strained the agency’s finances. Traditionally, the U.S. contributes about one-fifth of WHO’s annual funding. In response, the agency has frozen hiring and announced budget cuts, reducing its emergency operations funding target from $1.2 billion to $872 million for the 2026-2027 budget period.
