The World Health Organization (WHO) has warned that Nigeria is among eight countries facing an imminent shortage of HIV treatments due to disruptions in U.S. foreign aid. WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus said the pause in aid has “substantially disrupted” supply chains, putting millions of lives at risk. Other affected countries include Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ukraine.
Ghebreyesus warned that the setback could reverse two decades of progress in tackling HIV, with projections indicating over 10 million additional HIV cases and three million HIV-related deaths if urgent action is not taken. Efforts to combat polio, malaria, and tuberculosis have also been affected by the funding suspension.
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The WHO says its Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, which has over 700 sites worldwide, is at risk of shutdown — a concern heightened by rising measles cases in the United States. Meanwhile, funding shortages have already forced 167 health facilities in Afghanistan to close, with over 220 more at risk by June unless new funding is secured.
In response to the financial strain, WHO has announced plans to reduce its emergency operations funding target to $872 million from $1.2 billion for the 2026-2027 budget period. The agency has also implemented a hiring freeze and introduced budget cuts to manage the impact of reduced U.S. contributions.
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