US funding cuts could see millions dying - UNAIDS
UNAIDS has warned that funding cuts by the US to HIV and AIDS programmes could lead to six million new infections globally and four million deaths by 2029.
The agency says while 25 low- and middle-income countries are planning to increase their HIV budgets by 8% next year, it's not enough to offset donor cuts.
UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima it's more than a funding gap, it’s a ticking time bomb.
" We also see that the impact of this disruption, that the disruption itself, is not just financial. We also see that there is a backlash against rights laws, policies that create that enabling environment for people to come forward and get life-saving services."
READ: US funding cuts could reverse decades of gains in AIDS fight: UN
Byanyima is calling for global solidarity.
She says developing countries are doing their part but has urged wealthy nations to stay the course to end the epidemic.
According to UNAIDS, 630,000 people died from AIDS-related illnesses in 2024.
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