The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a federal program that provides HIV medications, is one of the programs on pause during a 90-day review ordered by the Secretary of State.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s order to pause nearly all foreign aid has halted funding to the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), an African HIV-prevention program launched by President George W.

The United States has approved an emergency humanitarian waiver allowing continued access to HIV treatment funded by the U.S. across 55 countries worldwide including Kenya. On January 29, 2025, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio authorized the waiver,

Leaders of the global fight against HIV/AIDS let out a sigh of relief on Wednesday as the Donald Trump administration scaled back – at least temporarily – one of the most damaging policies of its first days in office.

The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has approved an "Emergency Humanitarian Waiver" allowing continued access to US-funded HIV treatment across 55 countries.

On Friday, a memorandum signed by Marco Rubio called for a 90-day cessation of foreign aid. That would likely put on hold the work of PEPFAR, the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief.

After several days of worry that the global AIDS program might come to abrupt end, Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a humanitarian waiver that appears to have restored funding.

The President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, is credited with saving 25 million lives worldwide and has long enjoyed bipartisan support.

It is estimated that PEPFAR supports treatment for over 20 million people living with HIV, accounting for two-thirds of all people globally receiving HIV treatment

But late last week, the State Department, led now by former Florida Senator Marco Rubio, issued a memo clarifying that the freeze includes current foreign assistance programs as well, including the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR. Also affected is USAID, which will hamper global efforts to combat tuberculosis (TB).

Importantly, the programme has provided access to pre-exposure prophylaxis — a medicine that can prevent HIV infection — to 2.5 million people globally. PEPFAR accounts for nearly 90% of PrEP initiations globally, including through its programme SafeZindagi in India.