The disconnection allows the continuation or resumption of “life-saving humanitarian assistance” including HIV treatment.

This means that 20 million people living with HIV and if medicine is funded by the United States can continue to receive treatment. “That’s 20 million out of the 30 million people living with HIV in the world,” said Christine Stegling, Deputy CEO of UNAIDS, at the planned press briefing in Geneva.

Although it is expected that governments around the world will respond to the US message by supporting existing medicine plans, “What we are really worried about is that … Governments will focus right now on keeping people on treatment rather than preventing new infections” she explained.

HIV Global Response is highly dependent on the funds of the US President’s emergency plan for AIDS pledge (pepar); It finances 70 percent of the total AIDS response.

Since its creation in 2003, PepFar has saved more than 26 million lives by investing in critical HIV prevention, treatment, care and support programs In 55 countries, according to Unaids.

Nevertheless, “there is a lot of confusion on earth, especially at the community level about how the exception will be implemented,” Mrs. Stegling reported and pointed to disruption of treatment services.

Transport services and health workers in society are also still affected by the US financing break, according to Unaids.

Drop-in centers at risk

The agency – working with 70 countries – emphasized that the break in US assistance to social programs would lead to the closure of many drop -in health centers and termination of outreach workers’ contracts, which effectively deprives vulnerable groups of support.

The biggest interruption will be for healthcare in society that have been crucial to success with the fight against HIV, according to Unaids.

In Ethiopia, 5,000 contracts for public health workers depend on American help. “All of these in all regions of Ethiopia have been completed, as well as 10,000 data processing, very important in Ethiopia, ”added Mrs. Stegling.

Critical services cut

Thousands of individuals – women, young girls and priority populations at higher risk of sexually transmitted infections – will no longer be able to access critical services, such as condom distribution, HIV test, antiretroviral treatment, prophylaxis with HIV for HIV prevention , screenings for tuberculosis or support to tackle gender -based violence.

Unaids is most concerned about the long-term effect of US financing freezing on prevention of new HIV infections such as most services socially based, while national governments tend to focus on keeping people on treatment, rather than preventing new infections.

Fear of Spike in AIDS -Deaths

If pepar is not authorized between 2025 and 2029 and other resources are not found for the HIV response, “there would be a 400 percent increase in AIDS death,” Unaids said. “It’s 6.3 million people, 6.3 million AIDS -related deaths that will occur in the future,” Mrs Stegling told journalists.

UNAIDS says it will continue the efforts to ensure that all people affected by HIV continue to gain access to life -saving services.