A patient displays HIV/AIDS drugs | Credit | MSF

South Sudan is among 8 countries in the world to run out of Antiretroviral therapy drugs in the coming month due to disruption on the global HIV program, World Health Organization (WHO) has warned.

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO chief said 8 countries globally including South Sudan are facing substantial consequence of the US cessation on funding to foreign countries.

Tedros said the disruption in HIV program could undo 20 years of progress which would lead to potential rise in prevalence and fatality.

Dr. Meg Doherty, WHO global director of HIV, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Disease, said six of the eight are African countries of Kenya, Nigeria, Burkina Faso, Mali, Lesotho and South Sudan. Haiti and war-torn Ukraine are also reported to face a similar HIV shortage.

Doherty stated that these countries are already at risk of other outbreaks, infections and emergencies that challenges their health sectors.

“Currently, the countries we are most worried about are countries you would know have been at risk of other outbreaks, infections and emergencies including Haiti, Kenya Lesotho, South Sudan, Burkina Fasso, Mali, Nigeria and Ukraine.”

“We are working with team to see how we can avert the challenges in future. Next week things might be different.”

She underscored that the global health agency and partners working closely with a team to ensure the HIV program shock in these countries are averted.

Following, President Donald Trump’s executive order in January 2025 suspending all foreign aids from his country, the U.S. Department of State then sent ‘stop work’ orders to staff and contractors of USAID around the world.

Among key organizations affected by the temporary pause is the United States President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which has been crucial in supporting vulnerable countries in fighting the pandemic.

In February 2025, a non-profit organization working to empower people living with HIV in South Sudan, revealed that around 70,000 people have been directly affected by Donald Trump’s 90-day suspension of U.S. foreign aid.

The National Empowerment of Positive Women United (NEPWU) Executive Director, Mama Evelyn Letio, said the PEPFAR program used to donate $1 million annually to the organization and accounted for 75% of the organization’s budget.

Ms. Letio revealed that within an estimated number of nearly 200,000 people living with HIV in South Sudan, nearly 70,000 rely on international assistance.

She said the suspension threatens to reverse years of momentum gained in fighting the pandemic.