The UNAIDS Executive Director, Winnie Byanyima, stated, “We will witness a significant surge in this disease. It will make a comeback, and we will see people dying as they did in the 90s and 2000s.” This refers to an expected tenfold increase from the 600,000 AIDS-related deaths worldwide in 2023.

Any sudden loss of American funding, Byanyima said, would be “devastating” for efforts to combat HIV and would lead to the deaths of many of the world’s most vulnerable individuals. However, she also suggested a potential “groundbreaking deal” for US President Donald Trump that she believes could lead to “the end of AIDS.”

Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director, explained during a news briefing in Geneva that the proposed deal would involve enabling Gilead, a US-based pharmaceutical company, to produce and license the prevention drug Lenacapavir worldwide to those in need.

Lenacapavir, marketed as Sunlenca, has been proven to completely prevent HIV infection in women when administered as twice-yearly injections, and is nearly as effective in men.

Byanyima emphasized that President Trump is known for his fondness of deals, highlighting that it was Former President George W. Bush who initially funded the widespread distribution of HIV drugs over two decades prior.

“It is possible that President Trump or another Republican president could lead a prevention revolution towards the end of AIDS,” she stated.

She went on to explain that the deal would not only generate profits for Gilead and create jobs in the US but also save millions of lives in developing countries.

Byanyima mentioned that American funding accounted for approximately 35% of UNAIDS’ core budget last year, but it is unclear whether that level of support will be restored in the following year. They are currently in discussions with the US government but also preparing for a worst-case scenario where no funding is available from the US.

She expressed that it is unlikely that other donors could fill the funding gap, noting that European donors have informed the agency of their intentions to reduce support in order to redirect their funds towards defense and other priorities.

Byanyima warned that if support for HIV efforts is not restored, there could be over 6.3 million additional deaths in the next four years and 2,000 new daily infections.

She acknowledged that there has been legitimate criticism regarding the delivery of HIV aid and sees this as an opportunity to reassess and develop more efficient methods of providing life-saving support.

Byanyima also mentioned that African countries are striving to become more self-reliant, with even some of the poorest nations attempting to extend their fragile health systems to accommodate those living with HIV.

Additional sources:

• AP