The Trump administration has dealt a devastating blow to HIV/AIDS healthcare in the US and around the world, leaving millions at risk of infection and thousands more without access to life-saving treatments.
Just as a new shot became available that offers six months of protection against HIV transmission, the US government has gutted AIDS health care at its worst possible time. The cruel reality is that public health workers are reeling from how President Trump has helped HIV circulate in more humans this year than last, disproportionately affecting already marginalized populations.
The cuts were far-reaching yet highly specific, with resources for short- and long-term health research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), universities, and community groups severely impacted. The administration's decision to cancel over $125 million in National Institutes of Health grants for LGBTQ-focused health research has left a gaping hole in crucial medical research.
The effects are not limited to economic hardship but have also resulted in job losses among humanitarian aid workers, impacting medical care and development programs globally. In South Africa, transgender people lost access to gender-affirming care, leading to forced detransitioning, depression, and even suicide. In Uganda, people living with HIV have been left without condoms, lubricants, medication, or food that was once provided by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
The gutting of funding for HIV prevention globally has put humanity at risk, undermining a novel chance to curb or even end AIDS. The World Health Organization recommended widespread use of lenacapavir as soon as possible, but Trump's administration "decimated the infrastructure of global HIV prevention programs" by destroying USAID.
The consequences are stark. In Uganda, Universal Love Alliance created a free STI clinic at a sex work motel in Kampala, where it gave condoms and lubricants to 200 sex workers and tested 86 people for HIV. However, most volunteers were filling in for paid workers who used to do this critical job, highlighting the dire lack of trained healthcare professionals.
Lenacapavir's benefits are clear: improving patient outcomes, increasing adherence, and reducing the burden of HIV prevention. But without trusted community health outreach workers to explain and administer it, its potential will be lost forever. The real tragedy is that viruses travel, and Trump's stop-work order has put the entire human race at higher risk for HIV and AIDS.
The Intercept's reporting on this crisis underscores the critical need for press freedom in defending democracy against authoritarianism. As we cover this story, we're not just shedding light on a humanitarian disaster; we're also exposing the machinations of an administration that's undermining global health security.
Just as a new shot became available that offers six months of protection against HIV transmission, the US government has gutted AIDS health care at its worst possible time. The cruel reality is that public health workers are reeling from how President Trump has helped HIV circulate in more humans this year than last, disproportionately affecting already marginalized populations.
The cuts were far-reaching yet highly specific, with resources for short- and long-term health research conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), universities, and community groups severely impacted. The administration's decision to cancel over $125 million in National Institutes of Health grants for LGBTQ-focused health research has left a gaping hole in crucial medical research.
The effects are not limited to economic hardship but have also resulted in job losses among humanitarian aid workers, impacting medical care and development programs globally. In South Africa, transgender people lost access to gender-affirming care, leading to forced detransitioning, depression, and even suicide. In Uganda, people living with HIV have been left without condoms, lubricants, medication, or food that was once provided by the US Agency for International Development (USAID).
The gutting of funding for HIV prevention globally has put humanity at risk, undermining a novel chance to curb or even end AIDS. The World Health Organization recommended widespread use of lenacapavir as soon as possible, but Trump's administration "decimated the infrastructure of global HIV prevention programs" by destroying USAID.
The consequences are stark. In Uganda, Universal Love Alliance created a free STI clinic at a sex work motel in Kampala, where it gave condoms and lubricants to 200 sex workers and tested 86 people for HIV. However, most volunteers were filling in for paid workers who used to do this critical job, highlighting the dire lack of trained healthcare professionals.
Lenacapavir's benefits are clear: improving patient outcomes, increasing adherence, and reducing the burden of HIV prevention. But without trusted community health outreach workers to explain and administer it, its potential will be lost forever. The real tragedy is that viruses travel, and Trump's stop-work order has put the entire human race at higher risk for HIV and AIDS.
The Intercept's reporting on this crisis underscores the critical need for press freedom in defending democracy against authoritarianism. As we cover this story, we're not just shedding light on a humanitarian disaster; we're also exposing the machinations of an administration that's undermining global health security.
I'm telling you, something fishy is going down here... The US government just gutted HIV/AIDS healthcare and it's like they want people to suffer 
. They cancelled those grants for LGBTQ-focused research, can you imagine? It's like they're trying to keep a secret hidden 
. And now, communities are suffering because of it, especially the most vulnerable ones 
.
. There's gotta be more to it than that. What's really going on here? Is it some kind of conspiracy? 
I mean, think about it... the timing of these cuts couldn't be worse. It's like they're trying to create a crisis so people will forget what's really important 
.
. It sounds like some kinda secret medicine or something 
. Why did they cut off the funding for community health outreach workers? That's like leaving people defenseless against this deadly virus 
.
how can one person cause so much harm to people all around the world? it's like they have no idea about the impact their decisions will have on millions of lives. I'm literally shaking with anger 
, but at the same time, I just want to cry for all those people who are suffering because of this. we need to do something NOW to help them! 
let's raise awareness and make some noise about this issue! 
Can't believe what's happening to people living with HIV/AIDS 
. I mean, think about it, a new medicine came out that could help stop HIV transmission but Trump's admin just canceled all the grants to study it... what's up with that?! 
just saw this article about trump's cuts to HIV/AIDS healthcare and i'm still trying to process it... like what even is the point of having healthcare if you're just gonna slash funding at the worst time possible? 
?
. The world can't afford to lose momentum in the fight against HIV/AIDS. We need to rally around our global health infrastructure and demand that politicians like Trump start putting people's lives before profits 
. We need more funding and support for community outreach programs to get this treatment out to those who need it most 
.
the effects are so devastating - people losing their jobs, healthcare programs shutting down, trans ppl can't get gender-affirming care in south africa and uganda... its like he's trying to break our hearts 
can't believe we're living in a world where this is happening and no one is doing anything about it 
The US government is really messing up the fight against HIV/AIDS... I mean, what's going on over there? 
.
.
. Someone needs to hold those in power accountable for their actions... 
and now we gotta watch as the world descends into chaos w/o a decent shot against hiv transmission 
lenacapavir might b a game changer but without 1st rate community outreach & healthcare we r doomed 
the thought of people living with hiv/aids without access to treatment and prevention is just heartbreaking it's not just about the numbers, it's about the lives being lost, the families torn apart, and the future that's being stolen away from us one person at a time 
we need to take this seriously, we need to act now, and we need to make sure that our governments are working towards a future where hiv/aids isn't a death sentence.