KAMPALA – A funding crisis is looming over Uganda’s HIV/AIDS program, with up to 29,000 health workers facing job losses due to a freeze in US funding.
The Uganda Aids Commission (UAC) warned on Wednesday that the funding freeze, imposed by the US government, has put the livelihoods of thousands of health workers at risk.
“The United States, being the biggest funder, caused earthquakes in our response,” said Dr. Vincent Bagambe, Director of Planning and Strategic Information at the UAC.
The US government’s funding freeze, which was announced in January, has already started to bite, with many health workers employed by implementing partners facing uncertainty over their jobs.
According to the UAC, the US President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) has been supporting 29,000 health workers, including doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and laboratory technicians.
“The executive order stipulated that health workers and contractors funded by PEPFAR or the US government should cease work until the three-month review period is over,” Dr. Bagambe said.
While some of the health workers have been granted waivers and continue to serve in clinics, concerns remain over what will happen after the review period if funding is not reinstated.
The funding freeze has also raised concerns over the impact on Uganda’s HIV/AIDS response, with the country still recording around 38,000 new infections annually.
The UAC has warned that the funding crisis could lead to a threefold increase in new infections if sufficient domestic funding is not secured.
The Ugandan government has been urged to increase its funding for the HIV/AIDS program to mitigate the impact of the US funding freeze.
“We need to develop and implement a plan to accelerate and sustain the gains made,” Dr. Bagambe said.
The funding crisis has sparked concerns among civil society organizations, with many calling on the government to provide emergency funding to fill the gaps left by the US aid cuts.
“We are calling for an emergency supplementary appropriation by Parliament to close the severe gaps and ensure uninterrupted access to evidence-based and human rights-supporting testing, prevention, and treatment for HIV,” said Mr. Kenneth Mwehonge, Executive Director of HEPS-Uganda.
The Ugandan government has promised to do everything possible to mitigate the impact of the funding freeze, with President Yoweri Museveni assuring that the country will not let its people die due to lack of funding.
However, with the funding crisis deepening, concerns remain over the future of Uganda’s HIV/AIDS program and the livelihoods of thousands of health workers.
