Despite 'chaos,' EGPAF maintains focus on ending pediatric AIDS

Dr. Doris Macharia took over as President of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation, or EGPAF, in March, just as the organization was grappling with the “chaos” caused by the Trump administration’s order halting all foreign aid.

The 36-year-old organization has been a leader in global efforts to prevent transmission of HIV from mothers to their children and to end pediatric AIDS. In 2024, EGPAF had grants and contracts totaling more than $135.6 million, which included significant funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“We had to shut down a lot of activities,” Macharia said. “And when those programs shut down, it was very sudden.” In some instances, EGPAF’s activities were never restored because the funding was terminated. The organization reported that the cuts ultimately impacted services they were providing for more than 350,000 people on HIV treatment, including nearly 10,000 children, across Eswatini, Lesotho, and Tanzania.