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epidemic and pandemic

How U.S. aid cuts are reshaping HIV/AIDS efforts in Africa

Illustration accompanying article: How U.S. aid cuts are reshaping HIV/AIDS efforts in Africa
  • The Trump administration's sharp cuts to foreign assistance have created uncertainty for PEPFAR, the U.S. HIV/AIDS program that the State Department estimates has saved roughly 26 million lives since its launch in 2003.
  • NPR reporters documented closed U.S.-funded clinics, health workers forgoing pay, and community-care programs destabilized by the policy changes during nearly two weeks of reporting in South Africa and Mozambique.
  • HIV activist Lucky Mazibuko, who disclosed his HIV-positive status in 1999, said the pre-PEPFAR era "was filled with the stench of death" and described the current uncertainty as threatening to reverse decades of progress.
  • Health workers and advocates in both countries told NPR they remain committed to their work despite uncertain funding, with some going without full pay to maintain patient trust.
 3 MIN READ

WHO chief visits Ebola epicenter in eastern Congo as cases surge past 900

Illustration accompanying article: WHO chief visits Ebola epicenter in eastern Congo as cases surge past 900
  • WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus on May 30 visited Bunia, the epicenter of a rare Ebola outbreak in eastern Congo that has accelerated beyond the capacity of health responders.
  • The World Health Organization reported 906 suspected cases and 223 suspected deaths since the outbreak began, with neighboring Uganda confirming nine cases and one death.
  • Tedros urged countries to reconsider travel bans and border closures, saying they "discourage transparency," and stressed the need for community trust and safe burials to prevent further spread.
  • The Democratic Republic of Congo has faced Ebola 16 times before and has ended every outbreak, Tedros said, expressing confidence that this 17th outbreak can also be controlled.
 3 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: Ugandans bristle at name “Bundibugyo” tied to rare Ebola type