As soon as Donald Trump, the United States’ new president took office, he proceeded to implement policies he touted would put America first.
One of said policies was the elimination of USAID, a major agency responsible for administering foreign assistance.
This of course has been projected to take its toll across the globe, especially in developing countries, which many African countries are categorized under.
USAID spent $32.5 billion in fiscal year 2024, with some of the largest African beneficiaries receiving over a billion dollars, including Ethiopia and the DRC both receiving $1.2 billion each.
The cut in aid from the United States is expected to cost Uganda’s health sector $82 million, as reported by Bloomberg.
The Uganda AIDS Commission and AHF Uganda Cares depend on the funding for continuous access to therapy, laboratory testing, and vital services for virus management, according to the Kampala-based parliament, quoting UAC Planning Director Vincent Bagambe.
Per the department, US funding contributed $417 million to Uganda’s health sector in the fiscal year ending June 30, assisting in the treatment of 1.2 million patients.
The parliament also revealed that Uganda’s expenditures on HIV care annually, comes in at around at least 1.9 trillion shillings, with donors providing 60% of the financing, particularly the United States through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or Pepfar.
Uganda is “at a critical juncture,” and the abrupt financial cuts could threaten the progress gained in lowering new infections and curbing AIDS-related fatalities, as per the UAC Planning Director Bagambe.
“If we do not act swiftly, we risk a crisis where thousands of people living with HIV may not receive their medication, increasing chances of drug resistance and new infections,” he said.
The Uganda AIDS Commission reports that there are around 1.5 million people with the virus in Uganda, with a 5.1% prevalence rate.
