XUNICEF News and Views

April 4, 2026 Stephen Lewis Was a Singular Man on a Mission By Stephanie Nolen A few weeks ago in Lusaka, I spent some time with old friends: activists I met nearly 25 years ago, reporting on the H.I.V. epidemic. Back then, they were young people locked in a desperate fight for survival.

Stephanie Nolen, The New York Times , 16 March 2026 Click here for the article Additional analysis: Asia Russell, Health GAP (Global Access Project) , 16 March 2026 Click here for the Health GAP analysis Summary For  1.3 million people living with HIV in Zambia, the question of whether the United States will continue its PEPFAR-funded HIV treatment programme has become a matter of immediate survival. A leaked draft memorandum prepared by the US State Department's Africa Bureau for Secretary of State Marco Rubio reveals that the Trump administration is considering withholding lifesaving HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria assistance from Zambia as early as May 2026 unless the Zambian government signs a deal granting American companies preferential access to the country's copper, cobalt, and lithium deposits. The document states that the United States “will only secure our priorities by demonstrating willingness to publicly take support away from Zambia on a massive scale.” ...

USAID was one of the first agencies Elon Musk 'fed to the Woodchipper' on behalf of the Trump Administration.  Many articles have appeared in the months since those cuts detailing the damage done. In n this op-ed the author details again the long list. 

"We can also unite the country around a different ethos. An ethos of public health," said Stephen Lewis on June 10, 2025, at the BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS national summit of medical and HIV experts to raise the alarm about the immense threat that U.S. funding cuts to HIV programs pose to millions at risk of disease and death globally, and the need for Canadian leadership to help prevent a resurgence in AIDS.

Eswatini is the First African Country to Get Twice-Yearly HIV Prevention Shot Farai Mutsaka Associated Press November 18, 2025 Click here for the article Summary: Eswatini became the first African country to receive lenacapavir, a twice-yearly HIV prevention injection developed by Gilead Sciences that has demonstrated near-total protection in clinical studies.

 

On November 21, 2025 Canada announced its pledge of a $1 billion contribution to the Global Fund for its eighth replenishment cycle (2026-2028).  This is a slight decrease from its previous pledge.    The Global Fund works to combat HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria. This funding is part of Canada's ongoing support for the Global Fund to fight infectious diseases like HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria, which includes providing medication, treatments, and mosquito nets.

The UK Government has pledged £850M to The Global Fund , a 15% reduction from the last replenishment/ This announcement comes despite the fact that the fight to end AIDS, TB, and malaria is facing unprecedented challenges and civil society, parliamentarians and the international community have been advocating for the UK government to maintain its previous £1 billion commitment at a minimum.

Facebook video shared by Niloufar Pourzand

Article shared by Tom McDermott Kristof "As the world’s richest men slash American aid for the world’s poorest children, they insist that all is well."

Article shared by John Gilmartin A little of the nitty gritty detail. Cutting off medication and clinics in East Africa. John Click here for the article Summary HIV services in East Africa have been severely impacted following the U.S. government's freeze on international aid and USAID programs, leading to widespread clinic closures in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. The suspension of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) for at least 90 days has disrupted HIV treatment, testing, and gender-based violence services. Health workers have lost jobs, and critical HIV programs have halted, leading to fears of increased infections. Local experts warn of catastrophic consequences, with some advocating for African governments to find alternative funding sources. Key quotes “The impact will be catastrophic.” – Catherine Kyobutungi, Executive Director of the African Population Health and Research Center. “The closed clinics take care of key populations including 6000 commercia...

A mother and her 2-year-old son at a clinic in San Pedro, Côte d’Ivoire, after collecting their antiretroviral medications. We’ve made significant strides in combating HIV, with 84 per cent of pregnant women living with HIV now receiving antiretroviral treatment, protecting both their health and their babies. Since 2010, new infections have dropped by 62 per cent among children and 48 per cent among adolescents. 

  UN Plus, the association of United Nations (UN) staff members living with HIV has been re-established.  Click here to view the relaunched website Originally created in 2005 to advocate for the rights and well-being of UN staff members living with HIV around the world, the association paused its operations in 2021 due to global changes and funding challenges. Now, a newly established nine-member advisory committee from various UN entities and regions around the world is working again to ensure that UN staff members living with HIV have access to medications, health insurance benefits, and mental health support, as well as to actively combat HIV-related stigma and discrimination within the UN system. “I want to express my gratitude for the admirable work that you are doing to revitalize the UN Plus mission,” said Winnie Byanyima, UNAIDS Executive Director. “Together we can make a difference, let’s ensure a safe, supportive UN environment for all, which must include people livi...

Belize, Jamaica, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are the latest countries in the Americas to receive certification from the World Health Organization (WHO) for eliminating the mother-to-child transmission of HIV and syphilis (EMTCT). The milestone was marked today at a commemorative event organized by the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) in Kingston, Jamaica, with support from UNICEF and UNAIDS and with the participation of health ministers from the three countries.

From Robert Cohen I had no idea — or recollection — that he had originated the idea of a yearly World AIDS Day. Very moving. From Michelle Proctor

The UN AIDS chief Winnie Byanyima warns that global progress against HIV/AIDS is under threat due to an unprecedented human rights backlash that is stigmatizing groups most at risk. Countries with anti-LGBTQ laws or that criminalize sex work and drug use are seeing infections rise or plateau.  Stigma, discrimination, and lack of sex education exacerbate the issue. Byanyima said this "anti-human rights, anti-democratic" pushback jeopardizes efforts to end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, an achievable but not guaranteed goal. While some African countries are on track, infections are rising in regions like Eastern Europe and North Africa. In 2022 there were 39 million people globally living with HIV, including 1.3 million new infections and 630,000 AIDS-related deaths despite treatment access scaling up.   Byanyima called for recognizing, engaging and funding community organizations to help fight stigma and wider backlash. Other challenges include sustaining funding ...

Every hour, 11 children die of AIDS, so finding them and offering treatment is as critical as ever, according to the UN entity UNAIDS , which released a new report about how imams, pastors, and priests are reaching those most in need. While three quarters of adults living with HIV are on treatment, only half of children are, the agency reported. There are still 1.7 million children around the world living with HIV, and they are particularly vulnerable, said Stuart Kean, author of the Compendium of Promising Practices on the Role of African Faith Community Interventions to End Paediatric and Adolescent HIV, co-published by UNAIDS and the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). “If they’re born with HIV, then 50 per cent of them will die by the age of two,” he told UN News. “If they don’t and if they are not found and put on treatment, 80 per cent of them will die by the age of five, so there’s much greater urgency to find these hidden children.” Promising practices...

Editor's note: While the global picture has improved since 2010, increases occurred continued in Middle East / North Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Latin America. Central and Western Africa, on the other hand, saw significant improvements. When the United Nations last summer estimated there were 1.1 million to 1.8 million HIV infections in 2021, it called it “painful” news and an indication that “the response to the AIDS pandemic has been derailed by global crises.” Today, when it announced its 2022 estimate – 1 million to 1.7 million – the UN’s HIV and AIDS program was far more hopeful , declaring “there is a clear path that ends AIDS” by its target date of 2030. Still, the slight progress in 2022 falls well short of UN goals , which sought to drive down new infections of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, to 500,000 by 2020, and to 200,000 by 2030. This year, in announcing its latest figures, UNAIDS took the long view and that picture is brighter. In 2010, it had es...

Abortion politics cast shadow over PEPFAR reauthorization The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) is a U.S. government program that provides funding to fight HIV/AIDS in developing countries. The program is up for reauthorization in 2023, and abortion politics are casting a shadow over the process. Click here for the full article on DEVEX Some Republican lawmakers are opposed to any funding for abortion services, even in cases of rape, incest, or when the life of the mother is in danger. This has put the future of PEPFAR at risk, as the program provides funding for comprehensive reproductive health services, including abortion. The Biden administration has said that it is committed to ensuring that PEPFAR continues to provide funding for abortion services, but it is unclear whether Congress will agree. The outcome of the reauthorization process will have a significant impact on the fight against HIV/AIDS in developing countries. * PEPFAR is the largest global health...

fyi Robert Good write-up. I was never a fan of George W Bush. But. PEPFAR and projects supported through the Millennium Challenge Corporation have been two of his praiseworthy contributions. https://www.statnews.com/2023/03/07/pepfar-legacy-lessons-global-health-planning/ Kul The PEPFAR legacy: Lessons for global health planning from 20 years of AIDS work How do countries think about — and solve — big problems? When it comes to global health, lessons learned from PEPFAR may provide some answers.