Patients Receive HIV And AIDS Services In Uganda, As Uncertainty Around USAID Funding Stirs Anxiety

KAMPALA, UGANDA - FEBRUARY 17: A pharmacist works beside a USAID poster at TASO Mulago service center on February 17, 2025 in Kampala, Uganda. The AIDS Support Organization (TASO) center at Mulago Hospital provides a range of clinical and psychological support services to people living with HIV and AIDS in Kampala, with 50 per cent of TASO funding provided through The United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Following US President Donald Trump's executive order to freeze all USAID funding for 90 days, TASO's Executive Director Dr. Bernard Etukoit says that amongst their clients there is a lot of panic, fear, and anxiety, about how the cuts could impact their access to treatment and services. An emergency waiver issued by the US Department of State has allowed life-saving humanitarian assistance programs to continue during the freeze, including the antiretroviral therapy (ART) TASO offers, but uncertainty remains for those whose lives and livelihoods remain dependent on the flow of USAID funding. (Photo by Hajarah Nalwadda/Getty Images)