The move, which has halted all foreign aid for three months, has caused widespread panic among people living with HIV in the regions the aid organisation serves.

Global health experts have expressed their concerns over the suspension of funding from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which is responsible for distributing billions of dollars in overseas aid annually.

Tom Ellman, Head of the Southern Africa Medical Unit at MSF, expressed deep concern about the devastating consequences of the freeze on HIV treatment services. "What we are finding across our projects globally and we have been inquiring on projects all over Africa, from Sudan to South Africa, to Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo, the impact is massive. The patients, the communities working with us, and the health workers who work alongside us are fearful for what is happening. Patients turning up at clinics found that there is nobody there to provide them with their medication and so they've gone home wondering what's happening," Ellman said.

The suspension of USAID's funding has raised serious questions about the continuity of life-saving treatments for HIV patients in Africa, where millions depend on international aid for access to vital healthcare.  

--ChannelAfrica--