Aid Freeze Threatens Kenya's HIV Fight

Aid halts in Kenya due to a freeze on U.S. funding have caused a severe shortage of HIV medication. Millions of doses are trapped in warehouses as funding disruptions prevent distribution to clinics, putting lives at risk. Efforts are underway to seek alternative funding solutions.

A freeze on U.S. foreign aid has severely impacted the distribution of HIV medication in Kenya, leaving clinics with limited supplies while millions of life-saving doses remain undelivered in warehouses. The rationing of one-month refills is causing growing concern among patients reliant on antiretroviral drugs.

The freeze, ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump, has disrupted the global supply chain for medical products. Despite waivers exempting HIV treatment, payment system glitches have stalled distribution efforts, leaving $34 million worth of essential drugs idle in a central warehouse.

Kenya's health authorities are seeking urgent funding to distribute these medications, but USAID program cuts further complicate efforts to stabilize the situation. Legal actions are being pursued to restore aid, as critical ARV stocks dwindle, threatening the health of 1.4 million Kenyans living with HIV.

(With inputs from agencies.)