While, International arena is still realizing the consequences of Trump’s decision for the US to leave World Health Organisation, another proposition was accepted this week.
The US pause in foreign assistance funding has created “confusion” in the vital work of community HIV prevention, despite a waiver issued for HIV/AIDS programmes, the UN agency to combat the still deadly disease said on Friday.-
UN news
Trump prepared for Europe not only the refugees from Gaza, but also the AIDS epidemic. Everything is very simple: he closed the program, which funds free therapy for people with HIV/AIDS virus and now these people will become refugees in Europe, because the European legislation has such an article as “providing medical care for free” if a person can no longer get medical treatment at home. For instance, Ukrainian refugees under the Temporary Protection Directive receive full access to national healthcare systems. Germany, France, and Spain, offer extensive medical coverage, while others limit access to urgent care only. Although, EU member states interpret the law in their own way, even if we are talking about the countries with access to the healthcare for refugees only in case of urgent care, HIV/AIDS is exactly this case as without the treatment people with the desease will simply die.
Above from that, Article 35 of the EU Charter guarantees that everyone has the right to access preventive healthcare and medical treatment. Refugees and asylum seekers are protected under EU human rights laws, ensuring non-discriminatory access to basic healthcare.
The fact of the cancellations of the program from freemaintenance of health (therapy) for people with AIDS is documented in the news sources and several people have already appeared in France and Germany asking for the protection, because they cannot continue their treatment anymore. According to the EU legislation, these countries are obligated to accept the refugees. The refusal to grant them treatment threatens sanctions (from the US) against the EU states.
Future consequences
The U.S. pause in foreign aid comes amid a broader shift in geopolitical strategy and domestic political tensions regarding international assistance. While some policymakers argue that foreign aid should be scrutinized to ensure efficient use of taxpayer money, global health advocates warn that interruptions in funding could reverse years of progress in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Organizations in Africa, Asia, and Latin America, where U.S. aid plays a pivotal role, have raised alarms about the potential ripple effects of even short-term disruptions. For countries heavily reliant on U.S. support for healthcare infrastructure, the pause could slow down efforts to reach global HIV/AIDS eradication targets set for 2030.
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