HIV relief initiative Pepfar spared from Trump’s foreign aid pause - State Department
PEPFAR provides direct support to more than 20 million people living with HIV including Kenya, representing two-thirds of those receiving treatment globally.
The US State Department has clarified that the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the world’s leading HIV initiative, is covered under a waiver for life-saving humanitarian assistance despite the ongoing 90-day freeze on foreign aid.
President Donald Trump imposed the pause on January 20, just hours after taking office, as part of a review to ensure foreign aid aligns with his "America First" policy. The United States remains the largest global donor of aid.
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Secretary of State Marco Rubio initially granted a waiver for emergency food assistance before extending it on Tuesday to cover life-saving medicine, medical services, food, shelter, and other essential support.
However, the ambiguity surrounding the directive and subsequent exemptions has left humanitarian organisations uncertain about their ability to continue operations.
To provide clarity, the State Department’s Bureau of Global Health Security and Diplomacy issued a memo on Saturday confirming that PEPFAR falls under the provisions of the January 28 guidance.
The document, seen by Reuters, specifies that activities permitted under the exemption include life-saving HIV care and treatment, testing and counselling, tuberculosis prevention and treatment, laboratory services, and procurement of essential medicines and commodities. Additionally, mother-to-child HIV transmission prevention services are also allowed.
“Any other activities not specifically mentioned in this guidance may not be resumed without express approval,” reads the memo.
Direct support
PEPFAR provides direct support to more than 20 million people living with HIV including Kenya, representing two-thirds of those receiving treatment globally.
As part of the aid freeze, all payments from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) were halted—the first time such a stoppage has occurred since the fiscal year began on October 1—without resumption, according to US Treasury data.
USAID had disbursed $8 million on Monday, following total payments of $545 million the previous week.
Meanwhile, the Trump administration is considering placing USAID under the control of the State Department, effectively curtailing its independence.
Two sources familiar with the matter revealed on Friday that discussions were underway for a structural overhaul that would reshape Washington’s approach to foreign aid distribution.
Kenya has long been a major beneficiary of US foreign aid, with USAID collaborating with the government and private sector for nearly six decades to enhance education, healthcare, economic growth, and democratic governance.
Following the US decision to withdraw from the World Health Organisation’s global health fund, Public Service Principal Secretary Amos Gathecha disclosed that Kenya is actively seeking alternative funding sources to sustain support for individuals living with HIV and AIDS.
Gathecha voiced concerns that the US exit could severely impact Kenya’s efforts to manage and combat HIV and AIDS.
“We hope America won’t pull out of the WHO programme because they are the biggest financiers,” he said.
“But should they pull out, as a country, we have to get alternatives on funding.”
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