US aid cuts are killing Kenyan sex workers
Summary
US aid cuts have forced the closure of sex worker clinics across Kenya, leaving HIV-positive women without medication and contributing to a rise in infections and deaths. Health workers and NGOs warn the disruption could trigger a wider public health crisis.
Key Points
- At least 24 HIV-positive sex workers in Kenya have died after US aid cuts disrupted access to antiretroviral drugs, condoms, and outreach services.
- NGOs say clinic closures have led to sharp rises in HIV infections among sex workers, with fears the virus will spread further into the general population.
- UNAIDS and Kenyan health officials warn decades of progress against HIV/AIDS could be reversed as public facilities struggle to absorb the lost services.
- The Trump administration says it is shifting aid toward a new health partnership based on “trade not aid” and rejects responsibility for the deaths.
