As the largest and most impactful global health initiative ever undertaken, the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief is credited with saving millions of lives and changing the trajectory of the global HIV epidemic.
Since its creation in 2003, PEPFAR has set aside more than $80 billion for HIV bilateral programs across the globe. By comparison, the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria has disbursed close to $20 billion for HIV/AIDS since 2002 — a total that includes contributions from PEPFAR.
In spite of its success, PEPFAR’s future has never been more uncertain. In fiscal years 2018 and 2019, President Donald Trump's administration suggested slashing PEPFAR’s annual budget by 18%. While these proposed cuts were flatly rejected by Congress, PEPFAR funding essentially remains unchanged since 2014.