Homosexuals in Africa blame President Trump for their recent HIV diagnoses after having reduced prevention funding

Gay men in Africa blame President Trump’s decision to reduce funding for HIV / AIDS prevention for their virus diagnoses.

Administration’s scanning cuts with foreign aid have reduced access to drugs such as pre-exhibition prophylaxis, or PREP, which decreases the risk of contracting HIV by 99%.

Emmanuel Cherem, 25, homosexuals in Nigeria, told Reuters that he had been tested positive for HIV two months after losing access to drugs provided by the United States.

“I blame myself … Take care of myself is my first duty as a person,” he said.

“I also blame the Trump administration because, you know, these things were available, then, without notice, these things were cut.”

Echezona, 30, another homosexual from Nigeria, told Reuters that he had taken preparation pills daily for three years until he was informed by a clinic worker that the medication was now only available for pregnant and lactating women.

“I pray and want Trump to change politics and that everything comes back to normal so that the propagation and transmission of the virus are reduced,” he said.

Trump published a decree of his first day of mandate which took a break in assistance to foreign development for 90 days, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio signed a “ work stoppage ” to employees of the foreign assistance office of the State Department.

The Trump administration has adopted a hard position against the supply of aid, urging other countries to assume the burden of prevention measures (photo: health workers providing care for Nigeria)

In the photo: HIV vaccines for a test in South Africa in 2016

The Ministry oversees the American Agency for International Development (USAID) and the President’s emergency plan for the relief of AIDS (PEPFAR), which have experienced drastic cuts since Trump took office.

The administration has defended its position, arguing that other countries must assume the burden of providing help.

During the visit of South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, Trump acknowledged that foreign aid cuts were “devastating”.

“I hope a lot of people will start spending a lot of money,” said Trump.

“I spoke to other nations. We want them to go up and spend money too, and we have spent a lot, “he continued.

“And it’s a big – it’s a huge problem that takes place in many countries. Many problems in progress. The United States still gets the request for money. No one else helps.

Russell Vought, director of the American management and budget office, echoes Trump’s position at a meeting of the Congress Committee in early June.

He argued that African countries should assume responsibility for combating HIV / AIDS, attenuating the financial burden of the United States.

The administration continued to provide HIV prevention measures to pregnant and lactating women, but has excluded homosexuals (photo: a community awareness center that offered free advice and tests on HIV)

The director of the American management and budget office argued that African countries should assume responsibility for combating HIV / AIDS, lightening the financial burden of the United States. (Photo: an AIDS clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa)

Vought has added that some of the non -profit organizations facilitating HIV prevention programs “are not intended for administration views”.

The director’s comments comply with a renunciation from PEPFAR programs on February 1 allowing prevention programs to restart only for pregnant mothers.

Vulnerable populations, such as members of the LGBTQI +community, sex workers or the injection of drug addicts, have not been included in prevention measures.

Pepfar grants often covered the cost of clinics providing preparation in public health centers for these populations, which have undergone closings due to a reduction in funding.

A spokesperson for the State Department told Reuters that the programs financed by the PEPFAR would continue to be examined for “the evaluation of programmatic efficiency and consistency with the United States foreign policy”.

Public health officials and activists fear that if Trump’s hard policy towards foreign aid remains coherent, HIV infections are continuing in the region.

Linda-Gail Bekker, HIV expert at the University of Cape Town, said that African countries did not cover the costs of supplying the drug, leaving a gap for more diagnostics.

“It is as predictable as if you attract the eye of a bush fire flowing and the wind blows: a bush fire will return,” she told Reuters.

Activists and public health officials have warned that if a decrease in federal aid continues, HIV transmission rates will increase (photo: a AIDS clinic in Johannesburg, South Africa)

Medical advances in the prevention and treatment of HIV included the preparation of revolutionary drugs, but access to the drug has been reduced due to cuts by the United States (photo: a patient in a clinic in South Africa)

Countries such as Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique depended almost entirely on the US prevention measures, according to UNUSA.

Other countries, such as Ethiopia, responded to the financing reductions of the USAID by introducing a new payroll tax to pay the drug against HIV previously provided by American funding.

Medical advances in HIV prevention and treatment have increased significantly in recent years. However, UNAIDS projects that the shortcomings created by a lack of funding could see the steps back.

A Trump administration official told Daily Mail that “America remains the most generous country in the world,” noting that “PEPFAR programs continue to serve nearly 18 million people in more than 40 countries”.

“The United States and partner countries want each nation to be independent in this effort to make lasting progress in the fight against the epidemic of HIV / AIDS and guarantee that improvements to public health are permanent,” added the manager.