Trump’s foreign aid freeze is leading to a worsening of the HIV crisis in Africa

US President Donald Trump’s freeze on almost all foreign aid is being felt hardest by some of the most vulnerable communities in some of the world’s poorest nations and threatens to deepen the HIV crisis gripping Africa. Among the programs left struggling in the aftermath of Trump’s aid freeze is PEPFAR, which has been credited with saving millions of lives and helping to combat HIV/AIDS in low income countries.

According to LGBTQ Nation, the PEPFAR program was launched by former Republican president George W. Bush in 2003 to fund HIV prevention, treatment and care by ensuring access to antiretroviral therapy, reducing mother-to-child transmission, and supporting community-based programs that target key populations and marginalised individuals.

The US aid cuts come at a time when Africa is experiencing an increase in anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation, including Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Act, which imposes severe penalties that include life sentences and the death penalty for same-sex relationships, making it even harder for queer individuals to access medical care. Read the full report from LGBTQ Nation here.