HIV progress at risk: Haitians join global call over halted U.S. aid

PORT-AU-PRINCE — Protesters in Haiti joined a growing global outcry this week, demanding the immediate resumption of life-saving HIV medication distribution, suspended following a U.S. government aid freeze. The halt, driven by the Trump administration’s pause on funding through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), has disrupted treatment access for millions across the Global South.

On Monday,  May 19, more than a dozen people gathered in Port-au-Prince outside the Transitional Presidential Council (CPT) and Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aimé’s offices. They held signs and chanted demands for government accountability and emergency action, warning that a growing shortage of antiretroviral medication (ARVs) is pushing patients into an exacerbated medical crisis.

“HIV positive people are human beings like all of us. Without ARVs, they will die and can transmit the virus to others,” said Daphney Delva, general coordinator of  Foyer des Positifs du VIH/AIDS (FONAPOVIH), one of the leading advocacy groups in the country in the fight against HIV.

Haiti has long relied on U.S. support for its HIV/AIDS treatment infrastructure, with roughly 80% of related aid provided through international assistance. According to UNAIDS and local health officials, Haiti has achieved a 2% HIV prevalence rate—among the lowest in the Caribbean—due largely to widespread access to ARVs.

USAID funding freeze impacts the operations of organizations focused on HIV prevention and awareness

For one, the Panos Institute, which has played a crucial role in Haiti’s response to HIV/AIDS for decades, is one of the organizations impacted by the suspension of U.S. aid.  

The Panos Institute had just launched a new activity funded by USAID when the announcement came as a heavy blow,” explains Jean-Claude Louis, coordinator of the organization working with Haiti’s Ministry of Public Health and Population (MSPP) since 1986. “The decision to cut funding marks a critical turning point, given our fundamental role in fighting stigma and promoting public health, particularly in HIV prevention.” 

The Social and Behavioral Change (SBC) project in health, known as CHAMPIONS, was implemented by the Panos Institute with funding from USAID. Originally intended to last five years, it was abruptly shut down after only ten months.  

Despite the setback, the Panos Institute Haiti is striving to adapt and stay committed to the fight against HIV, with support from dedicated local and other international partners. As part of this effort, a pilot initiative has been launched in high schools to train young health leaders.  

The essential topics addressed by this program include sexual and reproductive health, HIV/AIDS prevention, the prevention of early pregnancies and efforts to combat gender-based violence.  

For Louis, there isn’t a true shortage of medication for people needing HIV treatments in Haiti; rather, there is a lack of funding and awareness to ensure better distribution. Nevertheless, his institution has expressed concerns that the sudden halt in U.S. aid could lead to a resurgence of misconceptions about HIV if awareness campaigns are not maintained.  

“There is no shortage of antiretroviral (ARV) medications. The problem is that there are fewer service centers due to various challenges,”  the Panos Institute coordinator told The Haitian Times. “Some centers lack sufficient personnel due to funding shortages, people lack information about where to go for care, and some facilities have been forced to close due to security issues.”  

U.S. aid suspension threatens Haiti’s progress in the fight against HIV

The significant progress made in recent years is now at risk. Since the current U.S. administration initiated a 90-day review in early 2024 that froze non-emergency USAID funding—including for PEPFAR—dozens of countries, including Haiti, have reported stockouts of HIV medications. Local health centers have been forced to scale back services, while patients report treatment interruptions lasting weeks or longer.

Programs such as DREAMS and SALVH— standing for Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-free, Mentored, and Safe; and Sex and Love Without Harm)— which provide prevention, testing and counseling, have been directly impacted. In Haiti, these cutbacks intersect with a broader health system collapse due to gang violence, displaced populations and resource shortages.

“We are not here to pressure the government, but to remind it of its responsibility,” said one protester holding a sign that read in Creole—Pa fè silans pandan nou ap mouri—“Do not stay silent while we are dying.”

“Trump [administration] suspended everything—we can no longer even find health centers. The State must come and sit down with us,” another protester said.

Protests and public health statements calling for reinstated U.S. funding have erupted across countries in sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America. In March, over 30 global NGOs signed a joint letter warning that the USAID freeze could “trigger a global AIDS resurgence,” particularly among high-risk and already marginalized populations.

Back in Haiti, advocates are asking both international donors and the national government to act before a full-blown crisis erupts.

“We are struggling more and more to find ARVs,” lamented a protester, wearing a black-and-white headscarf and holding a sign. “We came here to say to the state: we exist. And we need care now.”

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