Cape Town: HIV patients in Africa are facing increased challenges in accessing essential medication as healthcare programs grind to a halt, following the USAID cuts implemented by the Trump administration. For residents of remote South African villages, like 19-year-old HIV patient Nozuko Majola, traveling over an hour to obtain vital antiretroviral medication has become a harsh reality. "We used to get the drugs delivered to our homes, but since Donald Trump announced he was cutting aid, the drugs have stopped coming. I'm worried that this service will be canceled altogether," Majola shared with DW.According to Deutsche Welle, the US funding cuts to South Africa's HIV/AIDS programs could lead to more than 500,000 deaths over the next decade, as stated by Linda-Gail Bekker, head of the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation. President Trump's executive order, issued shortly after taking office on January 20, paused foreign aid assistance for 90 days, ultimately leading to the dismantling of USAID as an independent age ncy and a 90% reduction in foreign contracts and grants funded by the US aid agency.Such drastic funding cuts have significantly affected many African countries. Sub-Saharan Africa, the second-largest recipient of USAID funding worldwide, received $12.7 billion in 2024. However, the loss of US funding could result in up to 4 million additional deaths from treatable diseases across Africa, according to Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC).The pan-African NGO, Amref Health Africa, which provides medical care and trains specialists for nearly 20 million people annually, has lost 20% of its budget predominantly due to US cuts. This has led to the cancellation of educational programs in Ethiopia and the inability to complete 500,000 tuberculosis screenings in Tanzania, as reported by Amref. "We are seeing massive gaps in all countries. All sectors where humanitarian aid is needed are affected," said Lara Dovifat, head of advocacy at Doctors Without Borders (MSF) in Germany.Dovifat e xpressed concerns about the shortage of aid workers in South Sudan, where USAID-funded clinics have closed amidst a cholera outbreak. Similarly, in Somalia, the number of malnourished children is rising due to the shutdown of nutrition centers. In Sudan, a USAID-funded water supply system was abruptly halted.The reduction in funding also severely impacts the fight against HIV/AIDS. The US has withdrawn funding from UNAIDS, leaving many HIV treatment centers in countries like Kenya and Nigeria without resources, resulting in significant setbacks. Michael Byrne, head of the Global Fund's technical advice and partnerships department, emphasized the risk of increased deaths if diseases like malaria are not controlled.The US cuts have also affected Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, potentially causing 75 million children to miss routine vaccinations over the next five years, which could lead to up to 1.3 million preventable deaths. Countries such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, reliant on MSF for vaccine provis ion, are particularly at risk.Despite these challenges, Byrne remains hopeful that sub-Saharan African countries will mobilize domestic funding to address the gaps. Countries like Uganda and Malawi have pledged to support community health workers. However, Byrne warns that if infectious diseases are not controlled, wealthier nations will eventually bear the consequences as well.