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Temporary U.S. HIV Aid Leaves Lesotho Scrambling to Restore Care

A 23% PEPFAR cut hit just after Lesotho met UNAIDS 95-95-95 goals, triggering clinic closures and treatment gaps.

A woman passes a barber shop with men sitting inside at the end of the day in Maseru, Lesotho, July 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Women carry bags of food in the mountains of Ha Lejone, Lesotho, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Shepherds return home at the end of the day with their flock in the mountains of Ha Lejone, Lesotho, July 14, 2025. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)
Lisebo Lechela, 54, an HIV-positive sex worker turned activist and health worker, poses for a portrait in her house in Maputsoe, Lesotho, July 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Bram Janssen)

Overview

  • Washington has launched six‑month bridge programs and begun talks on a multiyear funding deal, according to the State Department.
  • Health workers say some initiatives are reinstated on paper but clinics remain closed, staff were laid off, and patients paused or rationed treatment.
  • Prevention efforts were cut off, including mother‑to‑child transmission programs, male circumcision outreach, and services for sex workers and miners.
  • Lesotho, with about 260,000 people living with HIV, had recently hit UNAIDS targets, and experts warn the disruption risks reversing gains.
  • Analysts note the shift to route funds directly to governments is high‑risk, data teams were dismissed, and officials struggle to track the full impact.