Trump’s aid cuts in East Africa caused unwanted abortion, babies being born with HIV

Trump’s aid cuts in East Africa caused unwanted abortion, babies being born with HIV
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According to a new report from The Guardian, aid cuts made by the Trump administration in East Africa have led to a number of severe public health consequences, including a rise in unwanted abortions and an increase in babies born with HIV. The report, conducted by Physicians for Human Rights (PHR), is based on interviews with medical staff and patients in Tanzania and Uganda.

The report reveals that the disruption to Pepfar, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, caused widespread drug shortages. This forced people with HIV to skip doses, increasing the risk of drug resistance. It also meant pregnant women could not get the necessary medication to prevent mother-to-child HIV transmission, leading to some babies being born with the virus. The aid cuts particularly impacted vulnerable groups, whose specialized health services were among the hardest hit.

The report’s authors noted that the cuts have eroded trust in both U.S. foreign aid and domestic governments, creating fears of a “dark” future marked by rising costs and the spread of fake cures. The PHR report urges the U.S. government to immediately restore and protect global health funding to stabilize these vital services and prevent the loss of decades of progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS.