The World Health Organization (WHO) warned on Monday that Nigeria is one of eight countries at risk of depleting its HIV treatment supplies in the near future, a crisis exacerbated by the Trump administration’s decision to suspend U.S. foreign aid. According to Reuters, WHO Director-General Tedros Ghebreyesus highlighted Nigeria, Haiti, Kenya, Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Faso, Mali, and Ukraine as nations facing “substantial disruptions” in their HIV treatment pipelines due to the funding freeze.
Speaking at a press conference, Ghebreyesus cautioned that these interruptions could unravel two decades of progress in combating HIV. “The disruptions to HIV programs could lead to over 10 million additional cases and three million HIV-related deaths,” he stated. The U.S. aid pause, enacted shortly after President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January, has also hampered efforts to address polio, malaria, and tuberculosis in affected regions.
Beyond HIV, the WHO raised alarms about the Global Measles and Rubella Laboratory Network, a critical system with over 700 sites worldwide, which now faces potential closure due to funding shortages. This threat looms as measles cases surge in the United States, underscoring the timing’s severity. Ghebreyesus urged the U.S. to manage its withdrawal of direct funding responsibly, saying, “The United States has a duty to ensure this is done in an orderly and humane way, giving countries time to secure alternative resources.”
The ripple effects extend further. In Afghanistan, the WHO reported that 80% of its supported essential healthcare services could shut down without immediate funding. As of March 4, 167 health facilities had already closed, with over 220 more at risk by June if the situation persists. Meanwhile, the U.S.’s planned exit from the WHO—typically a source of about one-fifth of the agency’s annual budget—has forced hiring freezes and spending cuts. On Monday, the WHO announced it would slash its emergency operations funding target from $1.2 billion to $872 million for the 2026-2027 budget period.
The mounting challenges signal a precarious moment for global health, with Nigeria and other vulnerable nations bracing for the fallout.
