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.

The President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, provides billions in funding to organizations to combat HIV.

PEPFAR has saved 25 million lives around the globe and is considered George W. Bush's greatest achievement. Donald Trump has left its future in doubt.

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,

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. Bush in 2003 that has saved over 25 million lives.

PEPFAR, a $7.5 billion initiative established in 2003, has provided HIV care to millions worldwide. The recent suspension of the program raised concerns about the potential loss of access to HIV medications for more than 20 million people.

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).

National Agency for the Control of AIDs (NACA) has commended the U.S. government for issuing emergency waiver to ensure that millions

The Trump administration has said that foreign assistance programs will be paused for three months as it reviews how money is being spent.

The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, has approved an “Emergency Humanitarian Waiver”, which will allow people to continue accessing HIV treatment funded by the US across 55 countries worldwide.

In Nigeria, PEPFAR remains a major contributor to the treatment of People Living with HIV, covering approximately 90 per cent of the country's treatment needs