The United States government has decided not to commemorate World AIDS Day this year on December 1, an observance that has been consistently marked for decades since 1988. The day is traditionally intended to raise awareness of the fight against the deadly disease and to remember those who have died from it.
Administration Stance and New Strategy:
A US State Department deputy spokesperson stated, “An awareness day is not a strategy.” Instead, under the President’s leadership, the State Department is focusing on working directly with foreign governments to save lives and increase their responsibility and burden sharing.
The US has released a new “America First Global Health Strategy” aimed at streamlining America’s foreign assistance and modernizing its approach to countering infectious diseases. A senior administration official stressed that the US would continue its work to combat HIV/AIDS through this new strategy and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), a program initiated under a previous administration that has saved millions of lives.
Concerns from the Health Community:
The decision is drawing alarm from health experts. They warn that the new Global Health Strategy could further damage public health systems already reeling from billions of dollars in foreign aid cuts.
A leading expert warned that “efforts to unravel our country’s HIV response” raise alarm bells. She stated that “erasing HIV from the federal budget will not make the deadly virus go away” but will reverse the progress made toward ending the HIV epidemic. She fears that without continued research and support for HIV prevention, surveillance, and services, new HIV transmissions and health care expenditures will climb, and people will die.
Global Epidemiological Context:
Globally, approximately 39.9 million people are living with HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. In the United States, about 1.2 million people are living with HIV, and roughly 13% of them are unaware of their status—a factor driving the virus’ continued spread.