Malawi is facing a catastrophic collapse of healthcare services one year after the US government cut foreign aid in January 2025, reversing a decade of progress against HIV/AIDS. The funding reductions have led to severe cuts in HIV treatment programs, an increase in unplanned pregnancies, and a resurgence of stigma and discrimination against vulnerable populations.
Chisomo Nkwanga, an HIV-positive resident of Mzuzu, described the impact of the funding cuts on his access to life-saving antiretroviral therapy (ART) as devastating. After the closure of US-supported specialized clinics, he was forced to rely on a public hospital, where he experienced discrimination and hostility from healthcare workers, leaving him feeling like a “living dead.”
Malawi, a country of approximately 22 million people, is heavily dependent on foreign aid for HIV care. More than one million Malawians live with HIV, and prior to the cuts, the United States accounted for about 60 percent of the nation’s HIV treatment budget. The abrupt reduction in support has created a critical healthcare vacuum, disproportionately affecting the most vulnerable and threatening to undo years of public health gains.
