Global health leaders at the 26th International AIDS Conference in Brazil warned that US funding cuts are jeopardizing HIV prevention and treatment programs in South Africa.
More than 8,000 community health workers have been retrenched in South Africa since 2025, while the Aurum Institute reported cutting over 700 staff in its first 120 days of the funding crisis.
UNAIDS data indicates global HIV funding fell by 18% in 2025, with 1.2 million new infections and over 500,000 AIDS-related deaths recorded last year.