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Relief to HIV/Aids patients as US waives funding freeze on life-saving programmes

Astop-work order issued earlier in the week had affected organisations and agencies involved in the fight to reduce HIV infections sparking fears millions could die as a result of lack of treatment. 

United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio has issued a waiver to allow critical medical programmes and other life-saving humanitarian assistance to continue operating during the 90-day freeze on foreign aid spending announced by President Donald Trump.

Although he did not mention the Presidential Emergency Programme for Aids Relief (PEPFAR), Rubio stated that the waiver applies to core life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, subsistence assistance, supplies, and reasonable administrative costs necessary to deliver such assistance.

The waiver is a huge relief to developing countries, including Kenya, where a stop-work order issued earlier in the week affected organisations and agencies involved in the fight to reduce HIV infections sparking fears millions could die as a result of lack of treatment.

Rubio, however, noted that the waiver does not apply to activities that involve abortions, family planning conferences gender or DEl ideology programs, transgender surgeries, or other non-life-saving assistance.

He stated that the resumption is temporary and that a separate waiver will be required to carry out the waiver with no new contracts being entered into.

“To carry out the president’s executive order on reevaluating and realigning United States Foreign Aid, I am approving an additional waiver of the pause under the executive order on reevaluating and realigning United States Foreign Aid and my subsequent direction of Jan. 24, 2025, for life-saving humanitarian assistance during the period of the review,” Rubio said in a circular.

“Implementers of existing life-saving humanitarian assistance programs should continue or resume work if they have stopped, subject to the following directions. This resumption is temporary, and except by separate waiver or as required to carry out this waiver, no new contracts shall be entered into,” he added.

See also  WHO raises alarm over HIV funding pause by Trump administration

UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima, in a statement, welcomed the waiver saying that it is a recognition of PEPFAR’s role in AIDS response.

“UNAIDS welcomes this waiver from the U.S. government which ensures that millions of people living with HIV can continue to receive life-saving HIV medication during the assessment of US foreign development assistance,” she said.

“This urgent decision recognizes PEPFAR’s critical role in the AIDS response and restores hope to people living with HIV,” She added.

A memo the State Department released on Wednesday defended the decision to freeze most US foreign aid spending.

It noted the waiver that Rubio issued.

Last week, Rubio had directed the State Department personnel to stop nearly all US foreign aid spending for 90 days in response to an executive order that President Donald Trump signed after his inauguration.

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