Latest news with #AIDS-related
Scoop
9 hours ago
- General
- Scoop
Will We-the-Quails Unite To Lift The Net Or Wither Away The Gains Made In AIDS Response?
Let us refresh the old gold Buddhist tale of The Quail and the Net: 'Long ago a flock of quails lived in a forest. Everyday a hunter would cast a net and trap many of them. But eventually, a wise quail told the rest that if they worked together, they could lift the net collectively at the same moment and escape as one. Next time the hunter tried to capture them, quails moved in unison, raising the net and flying off together. Unity is strength,' said Eamonn Murphy, Director of UNAIDS for Asia Pacific and Central Asia and Eastern Europe regions around the world's largest conference on HIV science (13th International AIDS Society Conference on HIV Science). He continued narrating this tale of deep wisdom: 'For several days thereafter, quails were able to drop the net far from the catcher's reach. But soon some of them became annoyed – small quarrels started – one quail felt 'I am doing most of the work' the other felt 'I want to go in the opposite direction' - eventually they stopped working together. Next time the net fell, instead of flying, they argued. Then the hunter caught them all. This tale teaches us that the discord and breaking focus can lead to ruin.' AIDS response faces the ruin but would we – the quails – fight or unite? 'I would be blunt. Today, it is the AIDS response that faces ruin. We are all the quails – from advocates to academics, countries to communities, doctors to development partners - we worked together to lift the net of the disease that once threatened to devastate us. We even came up with a plan to cast it off for good. Some of us have grown tired, others are doing part of the work but not all they should – many are not pulling their weight – and now we risk being tracked by a disease we should be condemning to history,' said Eamonn Murphy of UNAIDS. 'Recent global funding cuts could send the world back to levels of HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths not seen since the early 2000s,' said Murphy while showing a 5-years projection of how new HIV infections and AIDS-related deaths globally can dangerously rise if the lost funding both this year and in recent years does not return. 'Many countries have reduced their investments and domestic funding is often inadequate to fully fund the AIDS response – which has been relying on external support.' Agrees Dr Jakkrapatara Boonruang, research physician at the Institute of HIV Research and Innovation (IHRI) and a Mark Wainberg Fellowship Awardee: 'There is more work which needs to be done for ending AIDS by 2030. The latest UNAIDS global AIDS update 2025 launched before IAS 2025 shows that along with US funding cuts, other international financing for HIV is also waning. The impact is more severe where HIV programmes were majorly funded by international donors.' 'Even though in Thailand where most of the HIV-related services have been included in universal health coverage of the government, there are some aspects like reimbursements that have not been covered. Salaries of service providers and utility courses are yet to be covered by the universal health coverage for instance,' added Dr Boonruang. 'While services are fully covered by tax payers money, service providers are losing jobs or facing salary reductions. For example, we at IHRI have lost 20% of our colleagues following the suspension of US funding.' Rising new infections, low treatment coverage and funding cuts in Asia Pacific 'Nine countries in Asia and the Pacific region have rising new HIV infection rates. 9 countries in the region have too low coverage of lifesaving antiretroviral treatments. Moreover, the region has been hit with funding crisis – and – overall HIV prevention crisis too,' said Cedriann Martin, UNAIDS Communications Advisor. Between 2010 to 2024, there were 9 countries in Asia Pacific which reported an increase in newly diagnosed people with HIV. Fiji has the world's fastest growing epidemic, new HIV infections increased by over 3091% in Fiji. Along with Fiji, other countries in Asia Pacific where there was an upswing in the number of people newly diagnosed with HIV between 2010-2024 are: * 942% rise in Philippines * 187% rise in Afghanistan * 84% rise in Papua New Guinea * 67% rise in Bhutan * 48% rise in Sri Lanka * 42% rise in Timor-Leste * 33% rise in Bangladesh * 16% rise in Lao PDR Between 2010-2024, there were 9 countries in Asia Pacific which are also treating less than half of the people living with HIV, such as Afghanistan (11%), Pakistan (16%), Fiji (24%), Philippines (40%), Bangladesh (41%), Indonesia (41%), Mongolia (41%), PNG (46%), and Maldives (48%). Cambodia treats most people with HIV (92%) in the region. Prevention crisis in Asia Pacific Compared to the decline in the number of people newly diagnosed with HIV between 2010-2024 worldwide (40%), the decline in Asia Pacific is far behind (17%). 'Asia Pacific has a prevention crisis. The reduction of new infections has flatlined. Every 2 minutes a new person contracts HIV in our region today. Every hour we have 35 new HIV infections including 9 among young people. Every single day, we have over 300 men who have sex with men, over 80 persons who inject drugs, over 50 sex workers, and over 15 transgender persons, newly infected with HIV in the region,' said Eamonn. 'It is like we are trying to empty the bowl but have not turned off the tap.' What is worrying for CNS (Citizen News Service) is that as per the Global AIDS Update 2024 (last year), these numbers were also almost the same. So, there is hardly any significant change when it comes to prevention, testing and treatment targets in the region. Rather on the contrary, challenges have gone up manifold this year. 79% of new HIV infections were among key populations and their partners: 43% among men who have sex with men, 7% among sex workers, 12% among persons who inject drugs, 2% among transgender peoples, among others. 'Criminalisation and marginalisation deepen their vulnerability making it harder for HIV key populations to access services – and less likely to engage with the services available,' remarked Eamonn Murphy of UNAIDS. Weak HIV response in Asia Pacific region in recent years: Why? Not just HIV prevention is flatlined in the region but also HIV testing and treatment have only increased marginally since 2023. 'This region is not speeding towards the finish line. At best, it is (too) slowly inching forwards,' said Eamonn Murphy of UNAIDS. '1 in every 5 people living with HIV still do not know their HIV status; 1 in 4 people are not on lifesaving antiretroviral treatment, 1 in 3 have not achieved a suppressed viral load,' said Murphy. Scientific research and WHO guidelines show that if a person living with HIV is on lifesaving antiretroviral therapy and viral load remains undetectable, then not only the person lives normal healthy lifespans but also there is zero risk of any further HIV transmission. So, treatment works as prevention too. Undetectable equals Untransmittbale or #UequalsU. That is why 2025 HIV targets call upon countries to ensure that at least 95% of people know their status, 95% are on treatment and 95% are virally suppressed. 'In Asia Pacific by end of 2024, 79% know their status, 69% of them are on treatment, and 66% of them have suppressed viral load,' said Eamonn. 'By the time we reach the end of 2025, we may have to diagnose an additional 1.1 million people with HIV and treat 1.5 million people with HIV in this region. So, realistically we are going to miss 2025 targets in Asia Pacific.' The latest Global AIDS Update 2025 of UNAIDS shows that when it comes to HIV targets for 2025, progress among children with HIV in the region is the worst. 70% of children (or their caregivers) know their status, 67% are on treatment, and 57% are virally suppressed. Among women with HIV in Asia Pacific, 83% know their status, 72% are on treatment and 71% are virally suppressed. Among men with HIV in the region, 77% know their status, 67% are on treatment and 65% are virally suppressed. 'By the time we should be realising the dream of AIDS-free generations we are dropping the ball for our future generations. Care for children begins with support for their families. Prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV services, are a critical starting point of early infant diagnosis and ongoing care. For many in our region they do not have access to early HIV screening and treatment and psychosocial support they need,' said Eamonn Murphy. He added: 'We should respond to gender dynamics for both men and women in this region. We have to work with partners to increase health seeking behaviour among men and to lower intimate partner violence for relevant countries and communities. Better HIV service results require a collective intersectional action. Let us learn the lessons from the Quail and the Net 'The world still has not learnt the lessons of the quails- we need to work together. We have a small window of opportunity to get it right. We know what central components of AIDS response are, we have the science, knowledge, evidence, and partnerships, yet we are continuing to rely too heavily on treatment approach. In Asia Pacific region, we need a HIV prevention revolution that is anchored in human rights,' said Eamonn Murphy of UNAIDS. 'If we are together focussed and unified, we can fly towards the end of this epidemic as a public health threat – we can end AIDS now. If not, we will all fail.' Shobha Shukla, Bobby Ramakant – CNS (Citizen News Service) (Shobha Shukla and Bobby Ramakant co-lead the editorial at CNS (Citizen News Service) and Shobha was the Lead Discussant on SDG-3 at UN High Level Political Forum 2025. Follow them on Twitter/X: @Shobha1Shukla, @BobbyRamakant)
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Health
- Los Angeles Times
Rep. Garcia of Long Beach asks RFK Jr. to explain targeting of HIV/AIDS funding for cuts
Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Long Beach) is calling on Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to explain why the Trump administration has repeatedly ordered cuts to HIV/AIDS programs both at home and abroad. In a letter to Kennedy dated Thursday, Garcia asserted that the cabinet secretary has a history of peddling misinformation about the virus and disease, and that the planned cuts — which he called 'alarming and unprecedented' — would cost lives. 'We are concerned that your motivations for disrupting HIV funding and delaying preventative services and research are grounded not in sound science, but in misinformation and disinformation you have spread previously about HIV and AIDS, including your repeated claim that HIV does not cause AIDS,' wrote Garcia, the ranking Democrat on the House Oversight Committee. Health and Human Services officials didn't immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday morning. Kennedy couldn't immediately be reached. Both President Trump and Kennedy have previously defended the sweeping cuts to HHS programs and staff under Kennedy's leadership. Agency spokespeople have said they would allow for a greater focus on Kennedy's priorities of 'ending America's epidemic of chronic illness by focusing on safe, wholesome food, clean water, and the elimination of environmental toxins.' Kennedy has said HHS under his watch 'will do more — a lot more — at a lower cost to the taxpayer.' Garcia's letter — which he co-wrote with Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), the ranking Democrat on the Health Care and Financial Services subcommittee — requested that HHS produce a list of all HIV/AIDS-related funding it has cut and an explanation for how those funds were identified for elimination, as well as other documentation and communications around several of the largest cuts. The letter is the latest attempt by Democrats, in coordination with health experts and LGBTQ+ organizations, to challenge what they see as an inexplicable yet coordinated effort by the Trump administration to dismantle public health initiatives aimed at controlling and ultimately ending one of the most devastating and deadly epidemics in human history. It comes the same day that Senate Republicans agreed to a Trump administration request to claw back billions of dollars in funding for public media and foreign aid, but declined an earlier White House request to include in those cuts about $400 million in HIV/AIDS funding for the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR, which is credited with saving millions of lives in some of the poorest nations around the world. The House had previously voted for an earlier version of the measure that did cut the funding for PEPFAR, which was started by President George W. Bush in 2003. However, Senators pushed for the restoration of the funding before agreeing to sign the broader rescission package. The House must now approve the Senate version of the measure by Friday for it to take effect. In an interview with The Times, Garcia said he has long viewed Kennedy as a dangerous 'conspiracy theorist' who has 'peddled in all sorts of lies' about HIV, vaccines and other medical science. Now that Kennedy is HHS secretary, he said, the American people deserve to know whether national and international health decisions are being driven by his baseless personal beliefs. 'Folks need to understand what he's trying to do, and I think that he has to be responsible and be held accountable for his actions,' Garcia said. In their letter, Garcia and Krishnamoorthi noted that recent scientific advancements — including the creation of new preventative drugs — are making the eradication of HIV more attainable than ever. And yet Kennedy and the Trump administration are pushing the nation and the world in the opposite direction, they said. 'Since taking office, the Trump Administration has systematically attacked HIV-related funding and blocked critical HIV-related services and care for those who need it most,' Garcia and Krishnamoorthi wrote. 'These disruptions would threaten Americans most at risk of contracting HIV, and many people living with HIV will get sicker or infect others without programs they rely on for treatment.' The letter outlines a number of examples of such cuts, including: Many in the medical and foreign aid community expressed grave concerns about Kennedy being appointed as HHS secretary, in part because of his past remarks about HIV/AIDS. Kennedy told a reporter for New York Magazine as recently as June 2023 that there 'are much better candidates than H.I.V. for what causes AIDS.' In their letter, Garcia and Krishnamoorthi called out a specific theory shared by Kennedy that the recreational drug known as 'poppers' may cause AIDS, rather than the HIV virus, writing, 'We are deeply concerned that the Trump Administration's HIV-related funding cuts are indiscriminate, rooted in a political agenda, and not at all in the interest of public health.' Kennedy's skepticism about the link between HIV and AIDS conflicts with well established science that has long been accepted by the medical establishment, and by the federal government. Studies around the world have proven the link, and found that HIV is the only common factor in AIDS cases. In August 2023, about a week before Kennedy threw his support behind Trump, his presidential campaign addressed the controversy surrounding his 'poppers' comment, stating that Kennedy did not believe poppers were 'the sole cause' of AIDS, but contended they were 'a significant factor in the disease progression' of early patients in the 1980s. Garcia and Krishnamoorthi also noted a successful effort by local officials and advocates in Los Angeles County to get about $20 million in HIV/AIDS funding restored last month, after it and similar funding nationwide was frozen by the Trump administration. The restoration of those funds followed another letter sent to Kennedy by Rep. Laura Friedman (D-Glendale) and other House members, who cited estimates from the Foundation for AIDS Research, known as amfAR, that the nationwide cuts could lead to 127,000 additional deaths from AIDS-related causes within five years. Garcia and Krishnamoorthi cited the same statistics in their letter. In his interview with The Times, Garcia, who is gay, also said the LGBTQ+ community 'is rightly outraged' at Kennedy's actions to date and deserves to know if Kennedy 'is using his own conspiracy theories and his own warped view of what the facts are' to dismantle public health infrastructure around HIV and AIDS that they fought for decades to build.
Business Insider
3 days ago
- Health
- Business Insider
HIV/AIDS support to Africa survives U.S. spending cuts in last-minute reversal
The decision preserves vital funding for treatment, testing, and prevention efforts, and averts what many global health advocates warned would have been a major setback in the fight against AIDS. The BBC reports that U.S. Senators have backed away from a proposal to cut $400 million from PEPFAR, the global HIV/AIDS relief program, as part of a larger $9 billion rescissions package aimed at canceling previously approved federal funding. Multiple U.S. senators from both parties raised concerns about the proposed cuts to PEPFAR, a landmark HIV/AIDS program launched by ex-President George W. Bush and credited with saving tens of millions of lives globally. Republican Senate Majority Whip John Thune acknowledged there was ' a lot of interest ' in preserving the program's funding, according to the BBC. The decision comes amid former President Trump's broader efforts to reduce U.S. spending on global health and humanitarian aid under his "America First" policy. His administration consistently pushed for cuts to foreign assistance, including key programs like PEPFAR. A mathematical modeling study published in eClinicalMedicine highlights PEPFAR's pivotal role in expanding access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) across sub-Saharan Africa. Since its launch, the number of people receiving ART in the region has surged from nearly zero in the early 2000s to around 21 million by 2023. This expansion led to a dramatic decline in HIV/AIDS-related deaths, from 2.2 million in 2003 to 390,000 as well as a sharp drop in new infections, from 3.2 million to 640,000 over the same period. The proposed rollback has drawn sharp criticism from global leaders and public health experts, who warn that slashing such funding could lead to a resurgence of HIV cases, particularly in low-income countries where U.S. support constitutes a significant share of healthcare funding. Domestic budgets boost HIV response Under President Trump's administration, proposed cuts to global HIV programs led to major setbacks in countries heavily dependent on U.S. funding, many of them in Africa. Clinics in some regions were forced to scale back or shut down entirely, interrupting life-saving treatment for thousands. UNAIDS reports that over 26 million lives have been saved through global HIV efforts, stating: 'New HIV infections have been reduced by 40% since 2010, and 4.4 million children have been protected from acquiring HIV since 2000.' The agency, however, warned that 'if the world does not act, there could be an extra six million new HIV infections and four million AIDS-related deaths by 2029.' The global health body also highlighted the ripple effects of reduced international HIV funding, noting that many of the hardest-hit countries are responding by increasing domestic investments. 'Some 25 of the 60 low- and middle-income countries included in the report have indicated increases in domestic budgets for their HIV responses in 2026,' it stated. 'The projected collective rise, an estimated 8% or roughly USD 180 million, is seen as encouraging, but the report cautions this is 'not sufficient to replace the scale of international funding in countries that are heavily reliant. '
IOL News
3 days ago
- Health
- IOL News
South Africa boosts HIV funding amid global crisis affecting children and young women
South Africa's 2025 budget review includes a 5.9 percent annual increase in overall health expenditure and a 3.3 percent annual rise for HIV and tuberculosis programmes. Image: Independent Newspapers Archives As the world faces a historic HIV funding crisis that threatens to reverse decades of progress, South Africa is emerging as a beacon of commitment, funding 77 percent of its national HIV response and pledging further increases in health and HIV spending over the next three years. According to UNAIDS' 2025 Global AIDS Update, released last week, South Africa's 2025 budget review includes a 5.9 percent annual increase in overall health expenditure and a 3.3 percent annual rise for HIV and tuberculosis programmes, along with plans to invest in health systems infrastructure, including a national chronic medicine dispensing system. But the report, titled 'AIDS, Crisis and the Power to Transform', warns that South Africa is an exception in a world where funding cuts are devastating HIV services, particularly for children and young women in low- and middle-income countries. In 2024, 620,000 children under 15 living with HIV did not receive treatment, leading to 75,000 AIDS-related child deaths. The year also saw 630,000 AIDS-related deaths globally, with 61 percent of them in sub-Saharan Africa. 'This is not just a funding gap: it's a ticking time bomb,' said UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima. 'People, especially children and key populations, are being pushed out of care.' Adolescent girls and young women aged 15 to 24 are being hit especially hard. In 2024, over 210,000 acquired HIV, an average of 570 new infections every day. Prevention programmes that once protected this group are vanishing as donor funding disappears. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Next Stay Close ✕ In Nigeria, monthly PrEP (pre-exposure prophylaxis) initiation fell from 40,000 to just 6,000 people, while more than 60 percent of women-led HIV organisations surveyed in early 2025 had lost funding or shut down. In Mozambique, over 30,000 health personnel were affected by funding-related disruptions. If the crisis continues, UNAIDS estimates 6 million new HIV infections and 4 million AIDS-related deaths could occur between 2025 and 2029. While 25 countries have pledged domestic increases totalling 180 million US dollars in 2026, UNAIDS warns this is not enough to replace the large-scale donor withdrawals. Community-led services, crucial for reaching vulnerable populations, are being slashed, while new punitive laws in countries like Uganda and Mali are pushing people further from care. 'There is still time to transform this crisis into an opportunity,' said Byanyima. 'Countries are stepping up with domestic funding. Communities are showing what works. We now need global solidarity to match their courage and resilience.' 'In a time of crisis, the world must choose transformation over retreat,' she added. 'Together, we can still end AIDS as a public health threat by 2030 if we act with urgency, unity, and unwavering commitment.' THE MERCURY
Hamilton Spectator
6 days ago
- Health
- Hamilton Spectator
The UN warns millions will die by 2029 if US funding for HIV programs isn't replaced
LONDON (AP) — Years of American-led investment into AIDS programs has reduced the number of people killed by the disease to the lowest levels seen in more than three decades and provided life-saving medicines for some of the world's most vulnerable. But in the last six months, the sudden withdrawal of U.S. money has caused a 'systemic shock,' U.N. officials warned, adding that if the funding isn't replaced, it could lead to more than 4 million AIDS-related deaths and 6 million more HIV infections by 2029. A new UNAIDS report released Thursday said the funding losses have 'already destabilized supply chains, led to the closure of health facilities, left thousands of health clinics without staff, set back prevention programs, disrupted HIV testing efforts and forced many community organizations to reduce or halt their HIV activities.' It also said that it feared other major donors scaled back their support, reversing decades of progress against AIDS worldwide — and that the strong multilateral cooperation is in jeopardy because of wars, geopolitical shifts and climate change. A 'lifeline' removed The $4 billion that the United States pledged for the global HIV response for 2025 disappeared virtually overnight in January, when U.S. President Donald Trump ordered that all foreign aid be suspended and later moved to shutter the U.S. AID agency . Andrew Hill, an HIV expert at the University of Liverpool who is not connected to the United Nations, said that while Trump is entitled to spend U.S. money as he sees fit, 'any responsible government would have given advance warning so countries could plan,' instead of stranding patients in Africa where clinics were closed overnight. The U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, or PEPFAR , was launched in 2003 by U.S. President George W. Bush, the biggest-ever commitment by any country focused on a single disease. UNAIDS called the program a 'lifeline' for countries with high HIV rates, and said that it supported testing for 84.1 million people, treatment for 20.6 million, among other initiatives. According to data from Nigeria, PEPFAR also funded 99.9% of the country's budget for medicines taken to prevent HIV. U.N. Assistant Secretary-General Angeli Achrekar, a UNAIDS deputy executive director who was PEPFAR's principal deputy coordinator until January 2023, said the program is under review by the Trump administration though Secretary of State Marco Rubio issued a waiver 'to continue life-saving treatment.' ''The extent to which it will continue in the future, we don't know,' she told a video news conference with U.N. reporters in New York. 'We are cautiously hopeful that PEPFAR will continue to support both prevention and treatment services.' A gap impossible to fill In 2024, there were about 630,000 AIDS-related deaths worldwide, per a UNAIDS estimate — the figure has remained about the same since 2022 after peaking at about 2 million deaths in 2004. Even before the U.S. funding cuts, progress against curbing HIV was uneven. UNAIDS said that half of all new infections are in sub-Saharan Africa. Tom Ellman of Doctors Without Borders said that while some poorer countries were now moving to fund more of their own HIV programs, it would be impossible to fill the gap left by the U.S. 'There's nothing we can do that will protect these countries from the sudden, vicious withdrawal of support from the U.S.,' said Ellman, head of the group's South Africa medical unit. Experts also fear another significant loss — data. The U.S. paid for most HIV surveillance in African countries, including hospital, patient and electronic records, all of which has now abruptly ceased, according to Dr. Chris Beyrer, director of the Global Health Institute at Duke University. 'Without reliable data about how HIV is spreading, it will be incredibly hard to stop it,' he said. A new drug revives hope The uncertainty comes in the wake of a twice-yearly injectable that many hope could end HIV . Studies published last year showed that the drug from pharmaceutical maker Gilead was 100% effective in preventing the virus. At a launch event Thursday, South Africa's health minister Aaron Motsoaledi said the country would 'move mountains and rivers to make sure every adolescent girl who needs it will get it,' saying that the continent's past dependence upon US aid was 'scary.' Last month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the drug, called Yeztugo , a move that should have been a 'threshold moment' for stopping the AIDS epidemic, said Peter Maybarduk of the advocacy group Public Citizen. But activists like Maybarduk said Gilead's pricing will put it out of reach of many countries that need it. Gilead has agreed to sell generic versions of the drug in 120 poor countries with high HIV rates but has excluded nearly all of Latin America , where rates are far lower but increasing. 'We could be ending AIDS,' Maybarduk said. 'Instead, the U.S. is abandoning the fight.' ___ Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP receives financial support for global health and development coverage in Africa from the Gates Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP's standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at . ___ A previous version of this story was corrected to show that the name of the drug is Yeztugo, not Sunlenca.
