A limited number of waivers enabled some HIV care and treatment programs to continue in Ethiopia, but PEPFAR programs in the country have seen significant disruption due to the U.S. foreign aid cuts. The funding freeze disrupted the supply of essential HIV resources, including viral load testing materials and PEP kits. Health information system disruptions jeopardize timely patient monitoring and treatment.
Date: 6/25
Region: Africa
Country: Ethiopia
Topic: Health
Policy Lens: Global Health Security
Additional Context: According to research from February 2025 from the Journal of International Aids Society, "a full 90-day pause of PEPFAR funding is projected to result in an estimated 3,600 excess deaths in Ethiopia and 109,552 globally." This research paper can be found here.
A June 2025 Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) research brief, based on interviews with 10 medical and public health experts working across Ethiopia, details how U.S. global health funding cuts between February and May 2025 reduced access to critical services. Impacts were especially acute in Tigray, where regional tensions have magnified the effects.
Find the full report here.
Source: Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)
Devex Researcher Note: A PEP (post-exposure prophylaxis) kit for HIV typically covers a full 28-day course of antiretroviral medications used to prevent infection after a potential exposure. It is a short-term emergency intervention.