The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the virus that causes Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). HIV weakens the immune system by attacking the immune system’s T-cells until the body is unable to fight minor illnesses called opportunistic infections, leading to AIDS.
Myths and Stigma
Since the 1980s, so much has changed about HIV, but myths and stigma still exist.
Some of the myths are about its origin, transmission, treatment, and the reality of living with it.
These myths are restricting people from accessing treatment and living well with it.
Stigma can cause discrimination and unfair treatment of people living with HIV.
HIV Is Not a Death Sentence
Some people believe an HIV diagnosis is a death sentence, which is not true due to the advancement in treatment.
HIV-positive people can live healthy, long lives if they adhere to treatment.
Treatment adherence can help achieve an undetectable viral load, which means the virus is still present in the body but can no longer be detected by home tests and has slim chances of transmitting it to the next person.
Such people should continue taking their medication.
A person can only get AIDS if they are HIV-positive, and not everyone who is HIV-positive will have AIDS.
Some of these misconceptions arise due to ignorance and misunderstanding of the scientific knowledge of HIV.
How HIV Is Transmitted
HIV is transmitted in body fluids like blood, vaginal fluids, semen, anal mucus, and breast milk.
Soon after infection, people can have a flu-like illness, which lasts for a few weeks and then remain asymptomatic for a long time even up to a decade in some people, which is called the clinical latency period.
A Global Health Challenge
The spread of HIV/AIDS has affected millions of people globally.
AIDS is considered a pandemic.
According to the World Health Organization, in 2016 there were 36.7 million people living with HIV, 1.8 million new infections, and a million AIDS deaths.
PEPFAR Withdrawal Shakes Fragile Systems
Previously, HIV/AIDS management was sponsored by the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR).
Since its withdrawal with immediate effect in January 2025, third-world countries have been heavily impacted.
These countries are facing serious challenges for treatment continuity, prevention efforts, and overall health care systems.
For years, U.S. support has been pivotal in scaling up Antiretroviral Therapy (ART), maternal and child health interventions, HIV prevention programs, and strengthening healthcare infrastructure.
The halting of sponsorship has exposed developing countries’ heavy reliance on external aid and vulnerabilities, resulting in disruptions in ART access, stock-outs of essential medicines, and a potential rise in new infections.
UNAIDS Warns of Grim Projections
UNAIDS warned that the impact on the HIV response could be severe between 2025 and 2029.
The funding freeze could lead to 6.3 million AIDS-related deaths and 8.7 million new infections globally by 2029.
A Waiver But Not a Lifeline
Access to HIV medication has severely been disrupted.
Although a waiver, which came from a temporary exemption by the U.S. government, was introduced to allow implementing partners to continue providing certain services, including life-saving HIV treatment, it did not prevent widespread gaps.
The U.S. government cuts have already resulted in thousands of health workers being retrenched, programs halted, reduced access to HIV prevention, unavailability of data systems and other related services, and the dismantling of community health systems.
Survey Reveals Worsening Conditions
Results from one survey in a high-burden country in Sub-Saharan Africa found that 62% of respondents reported difficulty accessing PrEP, 46% of HIV patients experienced disruptions in HIV treatment, and 23% of HIV patients received smaller supplies of 3 months as compared to their previous 6 months’ drug supplies.
For example, in Malawi, HIV prevention and awareness campaigns have been reduced and, in some cases, suspended.
Community-based HIV prevention and outreach programs have been disrupted.
Recent efforts to develop a national program for people who are on ART have been affected.
Programs for key populations have been significantly affected, with the closure of drop-in centres.
This has caused workers without prior HIV experience to step in at local clinics, raising concerns about the quality of care.
DREAMS Program Halted
The DREAMS program in all 10 Sub-Saharan countries has ceased.
This program was a PEPFAR initiative that served 2 million adolescent girls and young women, focusing on HIV prevention, sexual and reproductive health, rights, physical and sexual violence, education, and empowerment.
Due to this closure, early child marriages are going to increase, as well as HIV infections.
Pregnant Women at Risk and Resurrection of Myths
Widespread fear and confusion about treatment availability among people living with HIV is becoming rampant.
Despite the waiver, services for pregnant women living with HIV have been greatly affected, increasing the risk of vertical transmission during childbirth and breastfeeding.
For instance, in Kenya, some HIV treatment facilities are not yet operating optimally due to staffing challenges, which has resulted in unguided integration of HIV into outpatient services, posing a threat to patient privacy.
Zimbabwe has experienced disruptions in testing of pregnant women during prenatal care, early infant diagnosis, paediatric HIV treatment services, and the sample transport system.
Broader Public Health Risks
Key areas affected are reduced access to ART, HIV test kits, PrEP, PEP, and condoms, increasing the risk of HIV transmission and treatment interruptions.
Workforce shortages due to salary cuts and hiring freezes are putting a strain on service delivery and patient care.
Limited availability of tuberculosis diagnostic tools and medication, which leads to delays in detection and treatment—eventually causing drug resistance—is also of great concern.
All this is causing weakened tracking of disease trends, leading to gaps in evidence-based HIV response planning.
Local Responses to Funding Cuts
Countries in the region are responding to the impact of funding cuts on their HIV response by adapting to the changes, with governments, civil society organizations, and international partners exploring ways to continue providing critical HIV services.
Kenya and Rwanda are among the list of countries that have reported that domestic resources are being mobilized to maintain priority HIV programs previously funded by the U.S.
Countries have committed to ensuring continuity of treatment for people living with HIV and are discussing future budgetary allocations for ARVs to ensure there are no disruptions.
For instance, the Ethiopian government introduced a new payroll tax as measures to fill the financial void left by the USAID funding pause.
Botswana and South Africa are among those countries with organisations that lost U.S. funding to refer their clients to government facilities for essential services.
Conclusion: Reimagining the HIV Response Beyond Aid
The global HIV response stands at a critical crossroads.
While scientific advancements have made it possible for people living with HIV to lead long and healthy lives, myths, stigma, and misinformation continue to block progress.
Now, with the sudden withdrawal of key funding sources like PEPFAR, many countries in the Global South are grappling with deep cracks in their health systems—threatening to undo decades of hard-won gains.
The crisis has exposed not only the fragility of donor-dependent health infrastructures but also the urgent need for resilient, homegrown solutions.
As communities navigate medicine stock-outs, healthcare worker shortages, and disrupted services, it is clear that sustained investment, financial, political, and social is essential.
The road ahead demands both international solidarity and local innovation to ensure that millions of lives are not put at further risk.
The HIV pandemic has taught the world many lessons about equity, access, and the power of collective action.
This moment calls for reimagining HIV responses that are independent, sustainable, and rooted in human dignity.
Without urgent action, the cost will not only be counted in rising infections and preventable deaths but in shattered communities and lost futures.