UK urged to fund Aids fight amid global aid cuts

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima has called on the UK to "fight to the finish line" against the Aids pandemic, citing the availability of revolutionary prevention drugs. She expressed alarm over unprecedented global aid reductions from the US, Europe, and the UK, which have severely disrupted HIV/Aids services worldwide. These cuts threaten to reverse progress and lead to millions more deaths and infections, alongside an increase in drug-resistant strains.

The crisis has been exacerbated by significant funding withdrawals, notably from the US's PEPFAR program and the UK's contribution to the Global Fund. While the US has reinstated some funding with conditions, the UK's planned cuts to foreign aid spending are a major concern. Byanyima highlighted that new tools, such as the injectable Lenacapavir offering nearly 100% efficacy, could virtually eliminate new infections, but require scaled-up access.

The UNAIDS chief stressed that ending the pandemic is a global imperative, as failure to do so allows the virus to incubate and potentially re-emerge elsewhere. She appealed to the UK, a long-standing supporter, to protect remaining funding, particularly for vulnerable populations like teenage girls, young women, and high-risk groups, whose access to vital reproductive health and education services is threatened by these financial cutbacks.