U.N. AIDS agency tracks new HIV infections as aid freeze disrupts treatment access

The U.N. AIDS agency is now tracking new HIV infections due to a freeze on foreign aid by the Trump administration. This disruption affects access to life-saving medications for millions, raising concerns about a potential rise in AIDS-related deaths. Stopping HIV medications allows the virus to multiply, increasing the risk of transmission and drug resistance. Without treatment, individuals can progress to AIDS, with a typical survival time of about three years. The aid freeze has led to layoffs of health workers in countries like Kenya and Ethiopia, creating gaps in HIV care. Clinics are turning away patients, and experts warn that new, resistant strains of HIV could emerge.