Taking the Pulse of PEPFAR
PEPFAR, or the President’s Emergency Program for AIDS Relief, started in 2003 and is the largest country-to-country bilateral investment in addressing any single disease. PEPFAR is not only funding, but expertise, and has saved millions of lives since the Bush administration. Dr. Jennifer Sherwood, Director of Research in the Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) public policy office, talks to us about attacks to PEPFAR, the populations that are impacted, and some recent protections to PEPFAR’s crucial work.
Early in 2025, a pause on new funding going out into the field was announced, in combination with a stop-work order. Soon after, a PEPFAR waiver was announced, yet it included extremely specific restrictions. amfAR completed a survey across 46 different countries asking about grant status, service provision, and more. It found that nearly 80% of organizations surveyed had grant cuts or eliminations. Because of the cuts, amfAR documented 1,700 site closures, including drop-in clinics that are essential to key populations. Local organizations were also disproportionately impacted by closures and grant impacts.
The term “key populations” refers to populations that are at high risk of acquiring HIV and experiencing additional, structural barriers to care. Often, this is sex workers, men who have sex with men, other gay and bisexual men, transgender individuals, and those that use or inject drugs. Programs particular to key populations were absolutely decimated, as strongly documented in amfAR’s survey. These impacts are also being exacerbated by the recent expansion of the Global Gag Rule.
LINKS FROM THIS EPISODE
amfAR on Facebook
amfAR on Instagram
Taking the Pulse of PEPFAR
PEPFAR: Achieving an AIDS-Free Generation
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Transcript
Jennie: Welcome to rePROs Fight Back, a podcast on all things related to sexual and reproductive health, rights, and justice. [music intro]
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Remember that HIV/AIDS is Remember that HIV/AIDS is still a public health emergency, despite recent technological advancements. Stay informed about what is happening around global HIV.
Contact your representatives and urge them to support global HIV funding. You can contact the Capitol Switchboard at 202-224-3121.
Follow amfAR on Facebook and Instagram and stay up-to-date on their work. Check out amfAR’s Taking the Pulse of PEPFAR survey report here.
Want to learn more about PEPFAR? Check out rePROs Fight Back’s explainer podcast here. And, for a deeper dive into the newest expansion of the Global Gag Rule, find rePRO’s most recent podcast episode here.