GENEVA (CHATNEWSTV) — The International AIDS Society (IAS) called on the U.S. government Wednesday to fully restore access to all HIV services supported by the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), following a temporary waiver that lifted restrictions on life-saving assistance.
The Trump administration froze foreign aid funding last week, unexpectedly halting PEPFAR operations on Jan. 24 and cutting off HIV treatment for 20.6 million people. On Jan. 28, newly appointed Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a waiver allowing the distribution of core life-saving medicines to resume.
“Since its bipartisan creation, PEPFAR has always been synonymous with saving lives, and this waiver restores – in some part – that legacy,” IAS President Beatriz Grinsztejn said in a statement. “However, PEPFAR’s continued and uninterrupted support of all HIV treatment and prevention services must be fully restored.”
The group urged the U.S. to ensure that HIV prevention efforts also resume, warning that the suspension put vulnerable communities at risk.
“PEPFAR has been and should continue to be an active contributor to changing the trajectory of the HIV epidemic,” Grinsztejn said. “It is our hope that this waiver remains in place and will be expanded to all HIV services.”
The IAS said immediate steps should be taken to allow PEPFAR implementers to return to work and prevent further disruptions to critical care.
