US Funding Freeze Poses HIV Treatment Risks in Uganda

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The recent decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to suspend funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for 90 days has raised concerns about the resurgence of HIV/AIDS in Uganda, where the virus has been significantly controlled since high rates in the 1980s. According to reports, this funding freeze could jeopardize critical healthcare services, especially for those living with HIV, like 23-year-old Penelope Kyarikunda and her son Sheldon, who both rely on antiretroviral medications.

While U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio assured that life-saving programs would remain intact, the vagueness of the statements left many in Uganda uncertain about the future of their health services. Currently, USAID has been covering around 80% of Uganda's HIV/AIDS budget, as highlighted by health officials. The former President George W. Bush’s PEPFAR initiative reportedly saved 25 million lives globally, but local social workers, like Bill Ivan Tumwine, worry that the suspension might lead to deteriorating health conditions for patients previously supported by U.S. funding.

With the looming possibility of medication shortages, healthcare professionals express deep concern over the long-term implications for Uganda's public health.

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