The United States of America says domestic financing and political will are critical to the 2030 target for ending HIV/AIDS.
The U.S. Global AIDS Coordinator and Senior Bureau Official for Health Security and Diplomacy at the Department of State, Ambassador John Nkengasong, made this known at a virtual briefing.
Nkengasong noted that through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief [PEPFAR], and Americans’ generosity, “Over 25 million lives have been saved, including more than 5.5 million babies who have been born HIV-free.”
“PEPFAR partner countries have leveraged the infrastructure in responding to other disease threats, including COVID, Ebola, Mpox, cholera, measles, and many others,” he added.
The global AIDS coordinator added that for countries not to return to the early days of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, “Country leadership through increased domestic financing and sustained political engagement are also critical to ending the pandemic.
“I have visited nearly a dozen PEPFAR partner countries since I became the global AIDS coordinator, and I have seen great examples of political will and commitment we need, including in Nigeria and Cameroon most recently.
“As the largest commitment by any nation to address a single disease in history, PEPFAR remains driven by evidence and data and committed to our partnerships with PEPFAR-supported countries to end HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030.”
