Global Fund asks for Ruto’s support after Trump cuts HIV funding
Just days after US President Donald Trump’s administration terminated its funding of the joint United Nations program on HIV/AIDS known as UNAIDS, the Global Fund is seeking the support of President William Ruto to boost its fight against the disease.
A statement released by State House, Kenya, on Monday, March 3, 2025, revealed that the Global Fund has reached out to President Ruto to seek his support to mobilize funds not only to end HIV, but also tuberculosis (TB) and malaria.
According to State House, the organization reached out to the head of state through a letter addressed to Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, in which the Fund requested the President to help them using his global networks.
“In a letter addressed to Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, the Fund requested the President to help them using his global networks. Peter Sands, the Executive Director for the Global Fund to Fight HIV, Tuberculosis, and Malaria, in his letter, asked President Ruto to aid the organization during its Eighth Replenishment. The letter noted that the request comes at a crucial moment when external funding for health is under severe threat,” the statement issued by State House read in part.
“With your commitment and the leadership of President Ruto, I am confident you can deliver a successful Eighth Replenishment,” Peter Sands, the Executive Director for the Global Fund to Fight HIV, TB, and Malaria, is quoted to have said in the letter.
Ruto’s intervention
With Ruto’s intervention, the Global Fund notes that it will be able to continue supporting Kenya and other countries across the continent in saving lives.
“The CEO noted that given the current global challenges, it was important than ever that there was need to work together to ensure continued progress in reducing the burden of HIV, TB and Malaria and in strengthening health systems across Africa. He noted that for over 20 years, Kenya and the Global Fund had built an immensely successful partnership, with the Global Fund having invested over Sh300 billion in Kenya. During this period, Kenya has made great strides in the fight against the three diseases and in advancing towards Universal Health Coverage,” State House stated.
US cuts HIV funding
The notice issued last week that US funding of UNAids is being cut off is the latest move by the Trump administration to end American involvement in life-saving health and anti-poverty programs around the world. It was issued by Peter Marocco, a Trump loyalist who is spearheading the evisceration of the US overseas aid program through USAid.
Marocco said in a letter to UNAids that its funding was being terminated for the convenience of the US government.
The Trump administration’s funding freeze on foreign assistance has already wreaked havoc on HIV treatment programs worldwide.
Before the funding freeze, the US government was responsible for two-thirds of all international financing for HIV prevention in low- and middle-income countries. Much of it came through the President’s Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar) which was founded by George W Bush in 2003 and which has financed about 70% of the global Aids response.
