The suspension of US foreign assistance could have a devastating effect on efforts to contain the spread of diseases in Tajikistan, including HIV, according to a report issued by a United Nations agency.

The United States, via the US Agency for International Development (USAID), was a key funder of Tajikistan’s national HIV programme, a recent country report issued by UNAIDS stated. The Trump administration’s decision to suspend foreign assistance programmes and effectively shut down USAID as an independent agency has already had a “profound impact” on the ability of Tajik government entities and local non-governmental organisations to deliver critical services to HIV sufferers, as well as mount information campaigns to contain the spread of the disease, which causes AIDS.

The UNAIDS report described the United States as a “critical partner” for Tajikistan in “strengthening laboratory services, introducing and informing the population about best practices in HIV prevention, integrating HIV with other services, and collecting and providing statistical data for decision-making.” 

The loss of US funding means that Tajiks with HIV are likely to struggle “to maintain antiretroviral therapy [ART] regimens, leading to increased viral loads and poorer health outcomes.” It will also hinder efforts to engage “hard-to-reach populations” in prevention efforts and testing, the report added. The high number of Tajiks who work abroad as labour migrants every year has helped catalyse steady growth in HIV cases over the past two decades, according to a 2024 academic study.

The resulting diminution of local capacity could result in a surge in HIV cases. “The loss of participation in regional networks will disconnect Tajikistan's HIV response from global and regional best practices, reducing opportunities for knowledge sharing, capacity building, and resource mobilization,” the UNAIDS report concluded.

This report first appeared on Eurasianet here.