A: Hey there! Have you heard about the latest news?
B: No, what's up?

A: The UN just warned us something really serious... If US funding for fighting AIDS stops permanently, it could lead to 4 million more deaths from AIDS-related causes by 2029!

B: Whoa, that's scary! What happened with the US funding?

A: Well, the US has been a big help in the global fight against HIV for over 20 years, giving more than 70% of donor funding. But since January, they've paused their contributions under President Trump's administration.

B: And what's the UN saying about this?

A: They say it's going to be really costly. Closures of clinics and disruptions in HIV services are putting girls and young women at greater risk, and more babies are being born with HIV. If funding is permanently halted, they predict 4 million additional deaths and over 6 million new HIV infections by 2029!

B: That's awful... What can we do about it?

A: The UN is asking countries to reverse the funding declines. They don't want us to let this opportunity to end AIDS as a public health threat slip away. Right now, nearly a quarter of the 39.9 million people living with HIV globally aren't getting life-saving treatment, and one person is dying every minute from HIV-related causes.

B: Wow... We really need to help in whatever way we can, don't we?

A: Definitely! Let's spread the word and do what we can to support the fight against HIV/AIDS.
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The United Nations has warned that a permanent halt in US funding is expected to result in 4 million additional deaths from AIDS-related causes by 2029.



The General Assembly met on Thursday to study a UN progress report on the fight against HIV/AIDS.



The report says the US has been a leader in the global response to HIV for more than two decades, contributing more than 70 percent of donor funding.



But it notes that the administration of US President Donald Trump has paused the contributions since the end of January.



UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed told the meeting that the cost of the reduction is stark.



She said closures of clinics and other disruptions to HIV services are putting adolescent girls and young women at especially greater risk, and that more babies are being born with HIV.



Mohammed said if US funding is permanently halted, the UN projects 4 million additional deaths and over 6 million new HIV infections by 2029.



She called on countries to reverse the funding declines, saying they must not allow themselves to "shatter the possibility of achieving the 2030 goal to end AIDS as a public health threat."



The UN report says nearly a quarter of the 39.9 million people living with HIV globally are not receiving life-saving treatment. It says one person is dying from HIV-related causes every minute.